Feedstock Cost vs. Yield by Type
A comparison of four PET-type feedstocks for depolymerisation — clear bottles, coloured PET, polyester textiles, and multi-layer packaging — showing estimated yield percentage, cost profile, and the reason for yield loss in each case.
Feedstock Type | Estimated Yield | Cost Profile | Why the loss? |
Clear PET Bottles | 92 – 95% | Premium | Low contamination; mostly loss of caps, labels, and glue. |
Colored / Opaque PET | 85 – 90% | Medium | Higher dye/pigment content and additive removal. |
Polyester Textiles | 70 – 80% | Low | High loss due to cotton blends, zippers, buttons, and heavy dyes. |
Multi-Layer (MLP) | 40 – 60% | Very Low / Negative | Huge losses because the foil and non-PET layers are rejected as "char." |
Beyond definitions
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How to read this table
- Estimated Yield is output weight of usable monomer as a percentage of input feedstock weight.
- Cost Profile (Premium/Medium/Low/Very Low-Negative) is relative — actual prices are not stated as they fluctuate with scrap markets.
- Why the Loss column explains the physical or chemical source of the yield gap — understanding this helps in making pre-treatment investment decisions.
About this table
Not all PET-containing waste is equally profitable to depolymerise. The feedstock type determines both what you pay (cost profile) and how much monomer you get back (yield) — and the gap between the highest and lowest yield feedstocks is large enough to entirely change the profitability calculation for a given supply lot. This table compares four PET-type feedstocks across those two dimensions.
Clear PET bottles (beverage bottles, water bottles) are the premium feedstock. Yields of 92–95% reflect the low inherent contamination of a clean, single-polymer, single-colour stream — the losses are almost entirely labels, caps, and residual glue, which are removed in pre-treatment. This feedstock commands a premium purchase price because of the high demand from both mechanical recyclers and depolymerisation plants. Coloured and opaque PET — shampoo bottles, food trays, juice bottles — yields 85–90% because the dye and pigment content introduces additional impurities that must be removed in the monomer purification step. The medium cost profile reflects the trade-off between lower purchase price and lower yield.
Polyester textiles — recycled garments, fabric waste, blended polyester-cotton fabrics — typically yield only 70–80% because of the high proportion of non-PET content: cotton blends, nylon-polyester mixes, zippers, buttons, and heavy reactive dyes that require additional processing to remove. The low cost profile reflects the lower competition for this feedstock from mechanical recyclers, but the 20–30% loss rate means the apparent cost advantage may not survive when yield loss is factored in. Multi-layer packaging (MLP) — sachets, pouches, flexible packaging combining PET with aluminium foil or HDPE layers — is the most challenging and often commercially unattractive feedstock. Yields of only 40–60% reflect the large proportion of non-depolymerisable layers that exit as char or solid residue. Some MLP lots carry negative economics when disposal cost for the residue is included.
Key insights
- Clear PET bottles deliver 92–95% monomer yield — the highest of any feedstock type and the benchmark for depolymerisation economics.
- Multi-layer packaging (MLP) yields only 40–60% with potential negative economics when residue disposal cost is included — MLP is not a viable primary feedstock for most depolymerisation plants.
- Polyester textiles appear cheap per tonne but the 20–30% yield loss from cotton blends, zippers, and dyes makes their effective monomer cost often higher than clear bottle feedstock.
- Every 1% of yield lost is a direct revenue loss — a plant processing 10 tonnes per day at 85% yield vs 95% yield loses the equivalent of 1 tonne of monomer per day in output.
Methodology & sources
Yield ranges are indicative for depolymerisation (glycolysis or hydrolysis) of PET-type feedstocks based on industry operating data as of 2024. Actual yields depend on feedstock quality, pre-treatment thoroughness, and reaction conditions. Multi-layer packaging yield is highly variable — the specific layer composition determines actual monomer yield, and some MLP types are effectively non-processable. Verify with technology provider for specific feedstock types you plan to source.
Related data tables
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Maximum Contamination Tolerance Levels
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