Indorama calculates reaching 150 billion bottles recycled

Indorama Ventures Public Co. Ltd., which operates production and recycling facilities around the world, says it has recycled more than 150 billion postconsumer polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic bottles since 2011.

Thailand-based Indorama says the number is a "significant milestone" and underscores its long-term commitment to circular economy practices and its sustained investment in global recycling infrastructure.

With more than 20 recycling facilities in 11 countries, some entailing partnerships, Indorama Ventures says those plants collectively recycle or reprocess 789 bottles every second, turning PET into high-quality recycled PET (rPET) resins and other circular materials. The rPET is consumed by various industries globally.

Indorama reached its first major milestone of 50 billion bottles recycled in March 2020 and doubled that figure to 100 billion bottles in 2023.

Now, the firm says it has reached the 150 billion mark, adding that milestone “reflects both growing global demand for recycled content and the company’s strategic investments in infrastructure, partnerships and innovation to scale up recycling at speed.”

“Recycling 150 billion PET bottles is more than a milestone—it reflects the power of people, purpose and technology driving scalable, sustainable impact,” says Yash Lohia, Indorama executive president and chairman of its Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Council.

“We’re grateful to our consumers, customers and partners who make this progress possible,” Lohia adds. “This achievement reinforces the value of long-term thinking, strategic investment, and collaboration as we lead the shift toward a circular economy.”

Beyond what Indorama calls positive benefits of recycling and reusing PET, the activity also helped avoid an estimated 3.8 million tons of CO₂ emissions over the PET bottle product life cycle and diverted 2.8 million tons of discarded plastic from landfills and the environment, the firm calculates.

Indorama says the achievement is rooted in its integrated and scalable approach to circularity and anchored in three core pillars: education, collection, and innovation.

Through its recycling education initiative, the Waste Hero program, Indorama says it has taught close to 1 million people in schools and communities worldwide about plastic recycling, “empowering individuals to make informed choices and driving long-term behavioral change in recycling.”

Partnering with a network of collection organizations helps ensure Indorama of a consistent supply of high-quality postconsumer PET, “supporting the integrity of circular supply chains,” the firm adds.

At the facility level, Indorama works with technology providers to deploy advanced recycling equipment designed to improve processing efficiency.

“As global demand for recycled materials grows, Indorama Ventures reaffirms its commitment to expanding recycling capacity, investing in innovation and working with stakeholders across the value chain to accelerate the shift toward a circular economy,” the company says.