Ahead of the demand curve? What’s behind the rPET slump.

Packaging Dive reported the development on 2026-02-20. A recent spate of rPET facility closures follows a slightly premature ramp-up, said one converter. But renewed investment is needed to ensure “we still have an rPET industry on this continent,” according to NAPCOR.

The report places the news in a wider commercial context. The recycled PET industry has been reeling from a period of prolonged instability that has resulted in a spate of reclaimer closures over the last year. While an influx of cheap imports has been cited as a factor, converters simply might have ramped production ahead of the demand curve, according to a speaker at The Packaging Conference in Austin, Texas, on Feb. 9.

For the food sector, the practical implications extend beyond the immediate announcement. Five full or partial recycled PET plant closures in the U.S. have been announced since early 2025: Alpek’s in North Carolina and Pennsylvania; Evergreen Recycling’s in California; Phoenix Technologies’ in Ohio; and rPlanet Earth’s in California.

Attention now turns to how companies, customers and regulators respond. The big question for 2026 is, “Do we face continued contraction and consolidation, or are we going to see things stabilize and renewed investment?” Stewart said. “All of us together — brands, reclaimers, converters, policymakers, recyclers, all of us — need to act intentionally and thoughtfully to make sure that we still have an rPET industry on this continent.”.