“​The basic building blocks of PETE are ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid, which are

combined to form a polymer chain. The resulting spaghetti-like strands of PETE are
extruded, quickly cooled, and cut into small pellets. The resin pellets are then heated to
a molten liquid that can be easily extruded or molded into items of practically any
shape.”
http://www.petresin.org/news_introtoPET.asp

Bottles

Water Bottles

Soda Bottles

Vinegar Bottles

Salad Dressing Bottles

Raw Materials:
Process:

1. The first step is to polymerize in order to make long and molecular chains.
PETE must be polymerized first in order to be processed into plastic bottles.
Terephthalic acid is combined with methanol and the reaction causes
dimethyl terephthalate and water.

2. The next step is to mix dimethyl terephthalate with ethylene glycol at

305°F. This process makes hydroxyethyl terephthalate and methanol.

3. The final step of polymerization is condensing it into hydroxyethyl

terephthalate.

4. Next, test to check impermeable by carbon dioxide to make sure the PETE is
appropriate/safe to use.

5. Throughout this process, constantly monitor transparency, gloss, shatter

resistance, thickness, and pressure resistance.

6. Next, put PETE through the stretch blow molding process. This is done by
heating it and then placing it in a mold, it then takes the form of a long, thin
tube. This process is called injection molding.

7. Now it is called a parison. Transferred into the second mold.

8. A mandrel (thin steel rod) is slid into the parison. It fills it with highly
pressured air which begins to stretch blow mold it. The parison takes a
bottle like shape due to the pressurized air as well as the heat and pressure.

9. During the blow molding, in order to ensure the bottom of the bottle stays
flat, simultaneously a different component of plastic is brought in to the
process.

10. Quickly cool mold so that it forms and sets properly. Them remove from
the mold.
https://www.thomasnet.com/articles/materials-handling/plastic-bottle-manufacturing/
http://www.madehow.com/Volume-1/Soda-Bottle.html

Eye Glasses

Raw Materials:

● Typically metal or plastic is called cellulose acetate. Cellulose acetate is

derived from cotton that is flexible and strong. It also then turns into long
narrow sheets that are slightly wider than eyeglass frames. Sheets are up to
3ft long and 0.33in thick.
Process:
1. After the design is final, the next step is making a dye out of steel and
fit it in a blanking machine. This machine punches out blank sheets of
cellulose acetate. The edges of the steel dye are sharp and are used
to remove the punched fronts where the lenses will fit.

2. Then, the sheets are cooled, they are taken into a blanking room
where they are heated to about 180​° F to soften the plastic. ​ These
newly softened sheets are then taken and put into a blanking
machine.

3. Then, the dye proceeds to cut through the plastic due to several tons
of pressure being applied. This produces a blank.

4. After the machine produces a blank, the frame beings to be finished

by acquiring grooves cut by a router. The two pieces of an aluminum
fixture are then used to hold together the frame.

5. The frames are then smoothed and the nose pads are glued on. The
curved side arms called temples are then created by punched out
pieces of the sheets of acetate with blanking dyes.

6. The temples and narrow pieces of steel are then heated to a certain
temperature. Once it reaches the correct temperature, a core wire is
inserted into the center of the temple.

7. Then small slots are cut into the upper corners of the frame in order
to attach the temples. Small metal hinges are placed in each slot and
both the frame and hinge are placed into a caption machine.

8. Next, the machine uses ultrasonic vibrations to create heat and

friction in the metal hinges. This causes the plastic part of the frame
to melt around the hinge, bonding them.

9. The last step is smoothing, imprinting with the manufacturer's name

and logo and polishing.
http://www.madehow.com/Volume-5/Eyeglass-Frame.html
 PETE Pro’s and Con’s
Pro’s
Many experts agreed that PETE is a “safer
plastic”.
PETE is fully recyclable. PETE is the most
recycled plastic in the USA.
It’s an energy-efficient packaging material PETE is non-biodegradable therefore can
compared to glass and aluminum.
40% of PETE’s energy use is at the raw
material level, making recycled PETE far
less energy-intensive than “new.”
It is very lightweight which means less
energy is required for shipping.
PETE is easily available and inexpensive.
Con’s
Antimony, a chemical used as a catalyst
during the manufacturing process, is also
a possible carcinogen​.
Antimony from polyester clothing can be
hazardous to the wearer.
cause water pollution.
PETE resins are even susceptible to
oxidation. For example, they are not used
for storing beer or wine as the shelf life of
these beverages is long and some taste
degradation may occur.
The polymer, like many other plastics,
takes a long time to break down, and as
such can end up in landfill sites for
decades, which we are running out of
space for.
Another way to dispose of polyethylene is
incineration, which can result in harmful
gas emissions.
 PETE polymers are highly resistant to Polyethylene is mainly extracted from
moisture and chemical resistance to petroleum or natural gas, of which there
organic material and water. In order to is a finite amount
create this property, they take a chemical
out of the plastic during the
manufacturing process.

It is highly transparent and shatterproof Producing polyethylene takes a large

(it will not break like glass packaging). amount of energy and also leads to high
emissions of carbon dioxide, a
greenhouse gas contributing to global
warming and climate change.

It has a high strength to weight ratio. Though it is possible to recycle the

majority of plastic polymers, there are
many different types to sort through,
which is expensive and complex.

PETE materials come in a variety of

shapes and colors which offer a good
choice in producing attractive products.

Polyethylene terephthalate can be easily

recycled. PETE plastic is one of the most
recycled plastics and they are reused to
make products such as containers,
sleeping bag insulation, polyester fabrics
and carpets, etc.

https://greenactivefamily.com/chemicals-and-materials/polyethylene-terephthalate-pet-or-pet
e-safety/
https://www.plasticsinsight.com/resin-intelligence/resin-prices/polyethylene-terephthalate/
https://www.kempner.co.uk/2019/05/08/the-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-polyethylene-
blog/
Polyethylene Terephthalate (PETE or PET)

High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE)

Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)

Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE)

 Polypropylene (PP)

Polystyrene (PS)

"OTHER" (OTHER)

The Material’s We Need To Bring In:

1. Salad dressing bottle (plastic)

2. Vinegar bottle
Oven Ready Packaging