Beverage manufacturers
PET is one of the most popular beverage packaging materials – and for good reason. Light weight, break resistance and high durability are among the major advantages of PET bottles.
Trade industry
PET beverage bottles sold in Austrian shops must meet strict requirements, making them not only practical but also completely safe as beverage packaging.
Consumers
Along with the contents of the bottles, the weight plays an especially important role for consumers when shopping. PET bottles are 90% lighter than glass bottles and are also break-proof.
Collection & sorting
Since the beginning of 2025, PET beverage bottles have been returned via deposit machines. This system enables single-type collection directly during the return process. Thanks to the high return rate among Austrians, the recycling rate for PET bottles is around 75%. After being returned, the bottles are sorted by colour and pressed into large bales before being sent to Müllendorf. Each bale weighs around 250 kg and contains around 10,000 PET bottles.
Treatment
Since our recycling plant in Müllendorf was established in 2007, it has been considered a model of excellence. PET beverage bottles are processed there into PET flakes or PET granulate using two different methods. The URRC (United Resource Recovery Corporation) process gently and thoroughly cleans the PET flakes, while the Strarlinger process melts the PET and processes it into granulate. Both types of recyclate are brought up to a high-quality, food-grade standard that meets the highest food standards.
New bottles
The finished PET flakes or PET granulate are filled into so-called ‘big bags’ and delivered to preform and bottle manufacturers. They use the recycled material in the production of new PET beverage bottles. Depending on the type of bottle, the proportion of recycled PET is usually at least 30 to 40%. For certain bottle sizes and shapes, a significantly higher proportion of recycled material is even possible.