Indorama Ventures Hits Major Milestone with 150 Billion PET Bottles Recycled Globally

Photo Credit: Indorama Ventures 

According to a company announcement, Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited (IVL), a leading global sustainable chemicals producer, has surpassed the recycling of 150 billion post-consumer PET bottles since it began its recycling operations in 2011. The company’s milestone marks a significant step forward in the global shift toward a circular economy, reflecting growing industry momentum in adopting sustainable materials.

As reported on the company’s official website, Indorama Ventures currently operates more than 20 recycling facilities in 11 countries. The company claims to recycle an average of 789 PET bottles every second, converting them into high-quality recycled PET (rPET) resins and other circular materials used in packaging, textiles, and consumer goods across the globe.

This latest milestone follows a steady and accelerating trajectory: IVL first hit the 50 billion bottle mark in March 2020 and doubled that number to 100 billion by mid-2023. The leap to 150 billion bottles, reached just two years later, highlights not only increasing global demand for recycled content but also the company’s continued investment in recycling infrastructure, innovation, and strategic partnerships.

Yash Lohia, Executive President of the Petchem segment and Chairman of the company’s ESG Council, described the achievement as a collective success. “Recycling 150 billion PET bottles is more than a milestone — it reflects the power of people, purpose, and technology driving scalable, sustainable impact,” he said in a statement. “We’re grateful to our consumers, customers, and partners who make this progress possible.”

Beyond recycling, the company emphasized the broader environmental benefits achieved through this effort. According to IVL, the recycling of 150 billion bottles has helped avert approximately 3.8 million tons of CO₂ emissions across the product lifecycle and diverted around 2.8 million tons of plastic waste from landfills and oceans.

Indorama Ventures attributes its progress to a three-pronged strategy focused on education, collection, and innovation. Its “Waste Hero” initiative, aimed at promoting recycling literacy, has reached nearly one million individuals in schools and communities worldwide. Additionally, the company continues to work closely with collection networks and technology providers to ensure a steady supply of PET waste and to implement more efficient, lower-impact recycling methods.

Industry analysts say the milestone underscores the growing role of the private sector in supporting national and international sustainability targets, particularly as governments and corporations alike ramp up commitments to reduce plastic waste and carbon emissions.

With global demand for rPET materials on the rise — particularly from packaging, beverage, and textile industries — IVL’s announcement reaffirms its intent to expand recycling capabilities, enhance supply chain circularity, and invest in long-term sustainability innovation.

Source: Indorama Ventures