By Jim Johnson
SENIOR STAFF REPORTER
Published: November 7, 2013 3:05 pm ET
Updated: November 7, 2013 3:10 pm ET
Plastic bottle recycling jumped by about a half a pound per person in the United States last year, according to new statistics.
Fresh information from the Association of Postconsumer Plastic Recyclers and the American Chemistry Council indicate plastic bottle recycling increased by 161 million pounds to hit 2.8 billion pounds for the year.
That translates into a 6.2-percent jump for the year.
With an estimated population of about 317 million in the United States, the increase amounts to about a half a pound of plastic bottles for every man, woman and child in the country.
The increase pushed the plastic bottle recycling rate up 1.6 percent to 30.5 percent for 2012, according to the 23rd Annual National Post-Consumer Plastics Bottle Recycling Report.
“In the United States, we have the capacity to recycle more used plastics than we are currently collecting, and innovative manufacturers are using these materials in new and exciting ways. Each of us can help by doing our part to get more used plastics into a recycling bin,” said Steve Russell, vice president of plastics for the ACC, in a statement.
Last year also featured a mile-stone for the recycling of high-density polyethylene bottles, which increased by 45.3 million pounds to rise about 1 billion pounds or the first time ever, the groups said.
The report is available in the plastic section of the products and technology section of the “Reports and Publications” portion of www.americanchemistry.com. Go to “Education and Resources” and then “Reports and Publications.”
The information also is available at APR’s website: www.plasticsrecycling.org. | 
