The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has flip-flopped on a desicion to more accurately portray the national PET recycling rate. When the EPA orginially released the 2010 facts and figures the PET rate was reported at 21%, down from the 2009 figure of 28%. Now they have revised the methodology again and the rate is 29%
The reported rate of 29% includes contaminants such as caps, labels and glue. When the EPA elected to remove this weight from reporting, it gave a more accurate reflection of recycling in America. The explanation for the reversal is that the methodology is consistent with how they measure other materials in the report and also consistent with how they have measured the PET rate in previous years. Here is the link:
http://www.epa.gov/osw/nonhaz/municipal/rev_factsheet.htm
So essentially they are saying they made a change to be more accurate, then they decided that accuracy was inconsistent with how they have measured it in the past, so they should switch back.
