The recycling of PET bottles is a complex, multi-step process. It begins with sorting collected PET bottles, followed by thorough cleaning. The cleaned bottles are shredded into uniform flakes, which are then melted in a furnace and extruded through specific molds into pellets. These recycled pellets serve as raw materials for manufacturing new PET bottles or producing goods such as textiles, packaging materials, and construction materials.
Regarding policy, South Korea's Ministry of Environment announced on September 16, 2025, that mandatory recycled content targets for specific PET bottle manufacturers would take effect on January 1, 2026. Similarly, Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry announced design requirements for plastic beverage bottles on July 24, 2025; these regulations stipulate that, starting January 24, 2026, colorless plastic beverage bottles made entirely of PET qualify for certification if they contain at least 15% recycled content. The EU's Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation mandates that all member states implement deposit-return schemes for plastic bottles and aluminum cans by 2029. Germany operates the world's largest and most successful beverage bottle deposit-return system (known as *Pfand*); currently, 42% of beverages in Germany use refillable containers, and the bottle recycling rate reaches 98%. Meanwhile, France passed the Anti-Waste and Circular Economy Law in 2019, aiming to phase out single-use plastic packaging by 2040 and setting targets for packaging reuse rates.
In terms of innovative practices, China's "Blue Cycle" project utilizes technologies such as blockchain and big data to ensure the traceability of marine plastics. Every product made from the project's recovered marine plastic features a unique QR code for full lifecycle tracking, and the marine-plastic PET pellets-certified by authoritative bodies-hold significant value. Beverage brands have begun deploying smart plastic recycling machines; collected bottles are sent to recycling facilities, and participants can earn carbon credits for their recycling efforts [33]. Additionally, communities and schools frequently organize environmental activities and art projects involving plastic bottle recycling and repurposing-such as transforming bottles into planters or art installations, or participating in community initiatives like "bottle banks."
