<p>Life Cycle Assessment of beverages in single-use PET bottles using the NREL-maintained US LCI database for the core of the model (polymer production, energy and fuel cycle, combustion). The bar graph indicates the breakdown of energy usage associated with delivering beverages packaged in injection stretch blow molded polyethylene terephthalate (PET) to consumers in California. The functional unit of this analysis is 1 kg of PET resin used in beverage bottles. The model also includes 0.14 kg of polypropylene (PP) resin, required by the product system for caps and labels. The product system delivers 27.9 L of beverage to California consumers, and results in 0.56 kg of secondary (post-recycled) PET resin that can be used to make new bottles or for other purposes. One kg of PET resin is sufficient to contain 27.9 L of beverages, assuming a typical beverage market mix of 60% bottled water, 16% carbonated soft drinks, and 24% juice / sports and other drinks. In California in 2009, 73% of PET bottles in the state's deposit program ("CA CRV") were recycled and 27% were disposed in landfills. The graph depicts this mix (ie. energy requirements reported for materials recovery and reclamation are associated with recovering 0.73 kg of PET bottles). The model excludes production of capital equipment such as factories, vehicles, and machinery; infrastructure such as power plants, fossil fuel extraction equipment, pipelines, roads, and electric grids; land use and water use; and direct human activity. The analysis omits polymer resin additives, inks, dyes, and adhesives; building and administrative overhead; production of the beverage itself; and retail / marketing. The data are from a report to the California Department of Toxic Substances Control, presently under review. Publication in the literature is forthcoming.</p
