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First, an automotive mixer combines plastic PET pellets with flakes of recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET). When plastic is processed again, it loses some of its physical properties. This means the recycled content can’t exceed 10%. The flakes drop from the mixer into a plastic injection machine that heats them to 315°C. The dry raw material melts into thick and gooey liquid plastic.

The machine then shoots the liquid at high pressure into a mould. This plastic injection moulding process makes pieces of plastic called pre-forms, starter shapes that subsequent machines will transform into bottles or jars. The moulded pre-forms harden almost instantly thanks to a built-in cooling system.

The pre-forms next stop is a machine called a 'reheat stretch blow moulder'. In a few seconds it heats each pre-form enough to make the plastic malleable, then inserts a rod to stretch the pre-form lengthways while at the same time blowing in air at extremely high pressure. This forces the pre-form into a bottle shaped mould. Cold water circulates within the bottle to cool and set the plastic almost instantly. These machines can produce 10,600 bottles per hour.

A conveyor belt transports the bottles to the packaging area where they are checked at random for quality control testing. Technicians measure the thickness of the plastic and perform a pressure test to check its strength.

The recycled material used in making these bottles doesn’t come from used plastic containers. For hygiene reasons the factory recycles only use new plastic left over from the manufacturing process. The finished containers are recyclable but are reprocessed into other plastic products such as clothing or insulation.