[GreenYes] FW: [GreenYes] which is greener - HDPE or PET?

["Pat Franklin" <pfranklin@no.address>]

David Cornell was kind enough to respond to the question asked by Eric---
Which is greener -  HDPE or PET?  .I'm forwarding his response. Hope this
helps.

 

Pat  

 

Patricia Franklin

Executive Director

Container Recycling Institute

Washington, DC 20036

202.263.0999    

www.container-recycling.org 

 

  _____  

From: David Cornell [mailto:dcornell@no.address] 
Sent: Friday, February 09, 2007 12:47 PM
To: Pat Franklin
Subject: RE: [GreenYes] which is greener - HDPE or PET?

 

Pat,

 

The question of which resin will include at least three aspects.

 

First.  What is the product to be packaged and what are the requirements?  A
liquid or dry product?  What barrier requirements exist for the package?
What fill temperature requirements?  How large of a package?  Is the package
to be handleware or not?  Does the package need to be clear or will it be
colored?  Is transparency important?  All of these are the standard
functionality and appearance questions.

 

Second. What is the cost?  How much will the resin costs vary over time?  Is
the filler planning to make its own package?  How many bottles per year are
planned?  How economically sized is the bottle fabrication plant?  Will the
bottles be filled near the fabrication plant or shipped?  How many bottle
sizes and shapes?  What are the special attributes of the bottle that change
the cost profile?  All of these are standard economic questions.

 

Third.  What is the environmental profile?  What issues are most important?
PET and HDPE have somewhat similar attributes on a per pound basis.  But an
important key is the bottle weight.   PET bottle may be lighter weight than
a HDPE bottle of the same volume.    The comparison needs to be done on
designed bottles, not just on the resin.  Both resins are recycled.  Both
can be safely burned or buried.

-----Original Message-----
From: Pat Franklin [mailto:pfranklin@no.address]
Sent: Friday, February 09, 2007 11:53 AM
To: 'David Cornell'
Subject: FW: [GreenYes] which is greener - HDPE or PET?

David,

 

I forgot to cc you on this email.  I hope you will help us out with this
question.  If you're not on the Greenyes listserve, I'll forward your
comments.

 

Thanks,

 

Pat

 

Patricia Franklin

Executive Director

Container Recycling Institute

Washington, DC 20036

202.263.0999    

www.container-recycling.org 

 


  _____  


From: Pat Franklin [mailto:pfranklin@no.address] 
Sent: Friday, February 09, 2007 11:52 AM
To: 'Eric Lombardi'; 'greenyes@no.address'
Subject: RE: [GreenYes] which is greener - HDPE or PET?

 

Eric,

 

It's a little more complicated than just determining the upstream and
environmental impacts.  There are certain requirements for certain beverages
that make one resin type better than another.  Peter Anderson can probably
address this issue.  David Cornell would definitely be able to shed some
light on the subject.  I'll cc him on this email.  Don't know if he's on
this listserve, but if he responds I'll forward his email to you and the
listserve.

 

Pat

 

 

Patricia Franklin

Executive Director

Container Recycling Institute

Washington, DC 20036

202.263.0999    

www.container-recycling.org <http://www.container-recycling.org/> 

www.bottlebill.org <http://www.bottlebill.org/> 

 

 


  _____  


From: GreenYes@no.address [mailto:GreenYes@no.address] On Behalf
Of Eric Lombardi
Sent: Friday, February 09, 2007 11:15 AM
To: greenyes@no.address
Subject: [GreenYes] which is greener - HDPE or PET?

 

I have been asked by a major food producer and packager which plastic, HDPE
or PET, would be better for them to use.  They were wondering whether or not
anyone has done a life-cycle assessment comparing the two?   I think this is
an important and timely question considering the moratorium on "bioplastic
bottles" that some (including Eco-Cycle) have called for.

Any help in answering this would be appreciated, and if you have any
valuable feedback on this, please post it for the list to see as well,
Eric

Eric Lombardi
Executive Director
Eco-Cycle
Boulder, CO
303-444-6634
www.ecocycle.org
</p


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