After checking a number of reference sources and talking with people at
a trade associations, it appears that such numbers are not available for
plastic containers. One of the difficulties is that the size of plastic
containers varies so much that making such a calculation would involve
a lot of data collection on the types and sizes of containers made, which
is not currently done.
As an indication of a probable size of the number of containers made,
however, it is noted that plastic container resin production in the US is
on the order of 7 billion pounds a year. For soda bottles, custom PET
bottles and milk bottles (over half of all plastic containers by weight),
there are 8-10 containers per pound of resin. Given the range of
containers from yogurt and pill containers to 5 gallon buckets, an
average for the rest of the material is hard to find. But if we pick 8
containers per pound of resin, that comes to about 55 billion containers
a year.
Hope this helps. Any more detailed information would be appreciated.
John Reindl, Recycling Manager
Dane County, WI
reindl@co.dane.wi.us
(608)267-1533 - fax
(608)267-8815 - phone