SIP Markets Secondary Raw Materials & Recyclables Contact desk

PET Flake

PETFLAKESecondary Raw Materials & Recyclables1 listed market

PET flake is polyethylene terephthalate recovered from post consumer bottles, trays and industrial waste, washed and ground into a granular flake. It is the intermediate between a collected bale and a finished recycled resin: bottles are sorted by colour and polymer, the labels and closures are separated, the material is washed hot and caustic to strip glue and residue, and the result is dried and ground to a controlled particle size. Buyers extrude it into pellet, spin it into polyester staple and filament for textiles and nonwovens, thermoform it into sheet and tray, and, where the flake meets the food contact regime, take it back into bottle through a decontamination process.

Listed pet flake markets

Each line is a grade at a delivery point. Open one for its full specification and terms.

SymbolGradeDelivery pointState
PETFLAKE.HOTWASH.VN-SGHot-washed rPET flakeVietnamTwo-way, quoted on request

Grades

PET flake is bought against a written specification covering polymer purity, colour, intrinsic viscosity, moisture and the contaminant fractions, each measured by a named method on a representative sample. The end use decides which parameters bind: fibre spinning tolerates a lower intrinsic viscosity than bottle grade, food contact adds a decontamination and authorisation requirement, and sheet extrusion is most sensitive to colour and to polyvinyl chloride contamination.

Material composition and identification

7 grades

Determined on a representative sample drawn under the sampling procedure named in the contract, by the analytical and sorting methods stated against each parameterWhat the material actually is. In secondary raw materials the composition is the product, because the same trade name covers very different streams depending on where it was collected and how it was processed.

GradeDefinition
Feedstock originDeclared, as post consumer bottle, post consumer tray, post industrial or mixedPost consumer bottle flake is the reference stream. Tray and post industrial material behave differently in extrusion and are priced and specified separately.
Polymer identityPercentage PET by mass, by infrared spectroscopy or by differential scanning calorimetryConfirms the base polymer and quantifies the other polymers present. The method is named, since a visual sort and an instrumental identification do not give the same number.
Colour streamDeclared, as clear natural, light blue, mixed colour, green or darkColour cannot be removed downstream, so the stream is defined at the sort. Clear natural is the highest value and the tightest specification.
Bale of originDeclared, as the bale grade the flake was produced fromThe upstream bale specification is stated because it bounds what the wash line can achieve, whatever the flake analysis shows on the day.
Food contact statusDeclared, as food grade with an authorisation reference, or non food gradeFood grade flake carries a decontamination process that has been assessed and authorised, with the reference stated. Absent that reference the material is not food grade regardless of how clean it tests.
Recycled content claimDeclared, with the chain of custody evidenceWhere the buyer relies on the material for a recycled content claim, the evidence trail is named in the contract rather than assumed from the description.
Additive and barrier contentDeclared, as present or absentOxygen scavengers, barrier layers and heat set additives from the original packaging carry through into the flake and affect colour and processing.

Quality specification

8 grades

Tested by an accredited laboratory under the named standard method, on a sample drawn and split in the presence of both parties or their appointed inspectorThe numbers the contract settles on. Each parameter names the method it is measured by, because a figure without a method is not a specification.

GradeDefinition
Intrinsic viscosityDecilitres per gram, by solution viscometry in the named solvent systemThe single most important processing parameter. It sets the melt strength and therefore what the flake can be made into, and it drops with each heat history the material has seen.
MoisturePercentage by mass, by loss on drying or by the Karl Fischer methodPET hydrolyses in the melt if it is wet, which cuts the intrinsic viscosity in the extruder. The limit is tight and the method is named because the two methods do not agree.
Bulk densityKilograms per cubic metre, by the named methodGoverns the feed rate into the extruder and the loadability of the container.
Flake size distributionPercentage by mass retained on each of a stated set of sieve apertures, to the international test sieve seriesThe particle size band is specified with an upper and a lower limit, since both oversize and fines cause feeding and melting problems.
Fines contentPercentage by mass passing the stated apertureFines burn in the extruder and blind the dryer filters. Specified as a maximum.
Colour measurementMeasured in the standard colour space as lightness, red to green and yellow to blue coordinates, on a prepared plaque or on the flake bedAn instrumental colour measurement rather than a visual grade, with the instrument geometry and sample preparation stated.
Melting pointDegrees Celsius, by differential scanning calorimetryConfirms polymer identity and indicates the presence of copolymer or contaminating polymers.
Ash contentPercentage by mass, by ignition at the named temperatureInorganic residue from glass, sand, mineral filler and label pigment.

Contamination and prohibited material

8 grades

Assessed by visual inspection, manual sorting of a weighed sub sample and laboratory analysis, against the tolerance stated in the contractWhat must not be in the load, and how much of anything else is allowed. This is the clause most disputes turn on, so it is written as measured tolerances rather than as a general expectation of cleanliness.

GradeDefinition
Polyvinyl chlorideParts per million, by the named instrumental methodThe most damaging contaminant in PET. It decomposes at PET processing temperature and releases acid that degrades the polymer and yellows the product. The limit is measured in parts per million.
Polyolefin contentParts per million or percentage by mass, by flotation separation or infrared identificationPolyethylene and polypropylene from closures, label sleeves and mis sorted containers, which show as unmelted specks in sheet and as breaks in spinning.
Metal contentParts per million, by the named instrumental method, and by metal detection on the lineFerrous and non ferrous fragments from closures, liners and the wash line itself, against a stated limit and a detection and rejection step.
Glue and label residuePercentage by mass, by the named methodAdhesive and paper carried through the wash, which discolours the melt and blocks filters.
Paper and celluloseParts per million, by the named methodResidual label fibre, which burns and specks in the extruder.
Other polymersParts per million, by infrared identification of a sorted sub samplePolylactic acid, polyamide, polystyrene and polycarbonate, each against a stated limit, since each fails in a different way downstream.
OdourAssessed by a named sensory panel method or by headspace analysis of volatile compoundsResidual odour from the original contents and from the collection cycle, which matters most for fibre and for any application near food.
Foreign materialPercentage by mass, by manual sorting of a weighed sub sampleStones, glass, timber and general refuse against the stated tolerance, with the sorting record retained.

Physical form and packing

6 grades

Measured and inspected at the point of loading, and recorded on the packing list and the inspection reportHow the material presents and travels. Form governs the freight cost, the handling equipment at both ends and what the buyer plant can accept without reprocessing.

GradeDefinition
PresentationDeclared, as bulk bags, in bulk or in sacksBulk bags are the standard trade presentation. Bulk loading is used where the receiving plant has silo intake.
Package weightKilograms per bag, on the packing list, with the tare recordedStated with the tolerance, since flake settles and the nominal fill and the weighed fill differ.
Liner and moisture protectionDeclared, as the liner type and the closure methodPET flake picks up atmospheric moisture, so the liner and the sealing method are specified rather than left to the packer.
PalletisationDeclared, as pallet type, dimensions and bags per palletHeat treated timber to the international phytosanitary standard where the destination requires it.
LoadabilityTonnes per container, declaredBulk density and packing choice decide whether a container weighs out or cubes out, so the expected load is agreed before the freight is booked.
Storage conditionDeclared, as covered dry storageSpecified because moisture pick up in an open yard will put an otherwise compliant lot outside specification before it is loaded.

Regulatory classification and transboundary movement

7 grades

Classified against the Basel Convention entries, the OECD Decision and the importing and exporting national law, with the codes stated on the movement documentWhether the cargo can legally move from where it is to where the buyer wants it. This is settled in writing before any commitment, because the classification decides the consent procedure, the timeline and in some corridors whether the trade is possible at all.

GradeDefinition
Waste or product statusDeclared, as end of waste product or as wasteWashed flake meeting the national end of waste criteria moves as a product. Where it does not, the waste shipment procedure applies and the timeline changes.
Basel classificationDeclared, as the applicable plastic waste entry with its codeThe plastic waste entries distinguish clean, sorted single polymer material from mixed and contaminated streams, and decide whether prior informed consent is required.
Import restrictionDeclared, as the importing country position on recovered plasticSeveral major destinations restrict or licence recovered plastic imports by polymer, cleanliness and facility. Verified in writing before commitment.
Food contact authorisationDeclared, with the process authorisation reference where the material is sold as food gradeThe recycling process itself is authorised, not the individual lot, and the reference is stated on the documents.
Restricted substancesDeclared, against the applicable chemical restriction limitsHeavy metals, phthalates and restricted additives, with analytical evidence where the material is placed on the European market.
Chain of custody certificationDeclared, as the scheme and the certificate numberWhere the buyer takes a recycled content or sustainability claim, the certification scheme and certificate are named in the contract.
Tariff classificationDeclared, as the customs code used on export and on importStated in advance, since the code applied to recovered polymer varies by destination and drives both duty and the licensing question.

Inspection, documentation and settlement

9 grades

Governed by the contract, the Incoterms rule named in it and the movement documentation required by the exporting, transit and importing jurisdictionsThe commercial machinery around the material. In secondary raw materials the paperwork is as much of the product as the tonnage, because a cargo that cannot clear customs is worth nothing at the quay.

GradeDefinition
SamplingUnder the sampling procedure named in the contract, with sealed retained samples held by both partiesIndependent, at load or at discharge as agreed. The retained samples are the evidence if the analysis is disputed.
InspectionBy an independent inspection company named in the contractWeight, condition, contamination check and loading supervision, with a report and photographs issued to both parties.
Weight basisDeclared, as loaded weight or landed weightWhether the invoice follows the certificate at load or the weight ascertained at discharge, and which weighbridge or draft survey governs.
Umpire analysisNamed in the contract, with the tolerance that triggers itA third laboratory, agreed in advance, whose result is final and binding within the stated splitting limit.
Movement documentationNotification and movement documents, transfer note, bill of lading and packing listThe consent and tracking paperwork required by the exporting, transit and importing jurisdictions.
Certification and auditDeclared, as the certifications held by the processing siteThe management system, chain of custody and responsible recycling certifications the buyer requires, with the certificate numbers stated.
Rejection and downgradeStated in the contract, with the remedy for eachWhat happens if the load is off specification: rejection, a price allowance, reprocessing at seller cost, or return, and who bears the freight in each case.
Payment termsDocumentary credit, cash against documents or open account, as agreedStated with the provisional and final invoice mechanism where the price depends on an analysis result.
Insurance and carriageDeclared, with the Incoterm and the insured valueThe Incoterms rule named with the version year, and the party carrying the risk over each leg.

Grades outside this list trade on request. Send us the contract specification you work to and we will price against it.

Locations

CountryRegionWe trade it as
GermanyEuropeOrigin and destination
NetherlandsEuropeOrigin, destination and trading hub
BelgiumEuropeOrigin, destination and trading hub
FranceEuropeOrigin and destination
United KingdomEuropeOrigin and destination
IrelandEuropeOrigin and destination
ItalyEuropeOrigin and destination
SpainEuropeOrigin and destination
PortugalEuropeOrigin and destination
AustriaEuropeOrigin and destination
SwitzerlandEuropeOrigin and destination
PolandEuropeOrigin and destination
CzechiaEuropeOrigin and destination
SlovakiaEuropeOrigin and destination
HungaryEuropeOrigin and destination
RomaniaEuropeOrigin and destination
BulgariaEuropeOrigin and destination
GreeceEuropeOrigin and destination
DenmarkEuropeOrigin and destination
SwedenEuropeOrigin and destination
NorwayEuropeOrigin and destination
FinlandEuropeOrigin and destination
TurkeyEurope and Middle EastOrigin and destination
UkraineEuropeOrigin and destination
United StatesNorth AmericaOrigin and destination
CanadaNorth AmericaOrigin and destination
MexicoNorth AmericaOrigin and destination
BrazilSouth AmericaOrigin and destination
ArgentinaSouth AmericaOrigin and destination
ChileSouth AmericaOrigin and destination
ColombiaSouth AmericaOrigin and destination
PeruSouth AmericaOrigin and destination
ChinaAsiaOrigin and destination
TaiwanAsiaOrigin and destination
JapanAsiaOrigin and destination
South KoreaAsiaOrigin and destination
IndiaAsiaOrigin and destination
PakistanAsiaOrigin and destination
BangladeshAsiaOrigin and destination
Sri LankaAsiaOrigin and destination
VietnamAsiaOrigin and destination
ThailandAsiaOrigin and destination
MalaysiaAsiaOrigin and destination
IndonesiaAsiaOrigin and destination
PhilippinesAsiaOrigin and destination
SingaporeAsiaTrading, finance and destination
Hong KongAsiaTrading hub
CambodiaAsiaOrigin and destination
United Arab EmiratesMiddle EastOrigin, destination and trading hub
Saudi ArabiaMiddle EastOrigin and destination
EgyptAfricaOrigin and destination
MoroccoAfricaOrigin and destination
TunisiaAfricaOrigin and destination
NigeriaAfricaOrigin and destination
KenyaAfricaOrigin and destination
South AfricaAfricaOrigin and destination
AustraliaOceaniaOrigin and destination
New ZealandOceaniaOrigin and destination

Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown here.

Timing

Generation is when the material is collected and processed at origin, which follows the consumption and collection cycle of that market rather than a crop season. Arrival is when a shipment from that origin typically lands in a processing market. The gap between them is sorting, baling or refining, the export consent procedure and the voyage.

HarvestArrival

OriginJFMAMJJASONDWindow
GermanyHarvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecDeposit return collection produces a consistently clean bottle stream and a mature washing industry, and the country is both a large producer and a large consumer of flake.
NetherlandsHarvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecProcessing and trading centre, with deposit return feedstock and the principal European port position for both import and re export.
TurkeyHarvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecLarge washing and fibre spinning industry importing bales from Europe and exporting flake and fibre, so it appears on both sides of the trade.
United StatesHarvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecDeposit and kerbside collection with a large domestic wash and pellet industry, and export flows to Asia and Latin America.
IndiaHarvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecVery large washing and polyester spinning industry, importing bale and flake and consuming most of it into fibre.
VietnamHarvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecEstablished wash and flake production serving both domestic fibre spinners and export.
ThailandHarvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecWash and food grade recycling capacity, with licensed import of feedstock and export of flake and pellet.
MalaysiaHarvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecSubstantial recovered plastics processing base with licensed facilities and a short voyage to the regional consumers.
MexicoHarvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecLarge collection base and a domestic bottle to bottle industry, with cross border flows into the United States.
BrazilHarvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecLarge collection and washing base serving a domestic fibre and sheet industry.

Windows outside this pattern trade on request, including term offtake, forward positions and tonnage already sitting in a destination warehouse or bonded terminal.

Customs, packing and contract terms

Indicative terms for pet flake. Tariff classification is the importer’s responsibility and limits change, so confirm both against the destination customs authority and the current regulation before you fix a contract.

  • HS heading3915.90 Waste, parings and scrap of other plastics, including PET
    3907.61 Polyethylene terephthalate in primary form, where the recyclate meets end-of-waste criteria
  • PackingBulk in container for flake and scrap, mill size bales for textile and paper, flexitanks or ISO tanks for used cooking oil and pyrolysis oil. Contamination tolerance is the clause that decides the claim.
  • Container loading20ft: 20 t to 26 t depending on density. Used cooking oil at 22 t to 24 t in a flexitank.
  • Contract and arbitrationBIR model contracts with BIR arbitration, ISRI specifications for metal and paper grades, and for used cooking oil an ISCC EU or ISCC PLUS chain of custody certificate, which carries most of the value in the trade.
  • Destination limitsEU food contact recycled plastic authorisation under Regulation 2022/1616 with an approved recycling process for food grade flake, the Waste Shipment Regulation 2024/1157 restricting plastic waste export outside the OECD, Basel Annex II plastic waste controls, and end of waste criteria that decide whether the cargo clears as product or as waste.

Common questions

What grades of pet flake does SIP Global trade?

We quote 45 published grades of pet flake, including Feedstock origin - Declared, as post consumer bottle, post consumer tray, post industrial or mixed, Polymer identity - Percentage PET by mass, by infrared spectroscopy or by differential scanning calorimetry, Colour stream - Declared, as clear natural, light blue, mixed colour, green or dark, Bale of origin - Declared, as the bale grade the flake was produced from, Food contact status - Declared, as food grade with an authorisation reference, or non food grade and Recycled content claim - Declared, with the chain of custody evidence. Every grade is tied to a delivery point and a settlement route. Grades outside the published list are priced on request.

How is pet flake graded?

PET flake is bought against a written specification covering polymer purity, colour, intrinsic viscosity, moisture and the contaminant fractions, each measured by a named method on a representative sample. The end use decides which parameters bind: fibre spinning tolerates a lower intrinsic viscosity than bottle grade, food contact adds a decontamination and authorisation requirement, and sheet extrusion is most sensitive to colour and to polyvinyl chloride contamination. Grading runs on 6 systems: Material composition and identification, Quality specification, Contamination and prohibited material, Physical form and packing, Regulatory classification and transboundary movement and Inspection, documentation and settlement.

Where does SIP Global trade pet flake?

We trade pet flake in Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, France, United Kingdom, Ireland, Italy and Spain and 50 further markets. Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown.

When is pet flake harvested and when does it arrive?

Typical windows are Germany: harvest jan to dec, arrival jan to dec; Netherlands: harvest jan to dec, arrival jan to dec; Turkey: harvest jan to dec, arrival jan to dec; United States: harvest jan to dec, arrival jan to dec; India: harvest jan to dec, arrival jan to dec. Harvest is when the lot is taken at origin, arrival is when a shipment from that origin lands in a consuming market. Windows outside this pattern, including carry, trade on request.

What is the HS code for pet flake?

Pet flake is normally classified under HS 3915.90 (waste, parings and scrap of other plastics, including pet) and HS 3907.61 (polyethylene terephthalate in primary form, where the recyclate meets end-of-waste criteria). The heading follows the form the goods are in at the border, and national tariffs extend it beyond six digits, so confirm the full line with the destination customs authority before you fix a contract.

How do I get a price for pet flake?

Send the grade, the origin and the delivery window to the SIP Global desk. That is enough for a trader to come back with a level and a settlement route. 1 listed pet flake market is published on this page, each with its full specification and terms. We take both sides, physical and financial, prompt to long dated.

Standards and data sources

The grading language on this sheet follows published standards. Trade volumes and tariff lines are public record. Verify anything here against the source.

  • IPPCInternational Plant Protection Convention phytosanitary measures
  • UN ComtradeOfficial international trade statistics by HS code
  • ITC Trade MapBilateral trade flows and tariff data
  • FAOSTATFAO production and trade series for agricultural commodities

Price this with our desk

Grade, origin and window if you have them. If what you are carrying does not fit the sheet above, describe it in your own words and a trader will take it from there.

Nothing here matches what you are holding? Send it anyway. The sheets cover the markets we publish, not the limit of what the desk will look at.

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