By far the fastest growing packaging material, the use of plastics in consumer beverages increased by over 50% from the mid-1990's to the present (American Plastics Council). In order to keep TROC's recycling program cost-effective, acceptable plastic containers are limited to resins #1 polyethylene terephlalate (PETE) and #2 high density polyethylene (HDPE).

Currently, Connecticut's container redemption legislation currently applies a 5¢ deposit only to PETE carbonated beverages, although the legislature has considered numerous proposals for expanding deposit legislation to other types of plastic beverage containers.

While there is enormous potential for using recycled plastics in consumer products from carpet to clothing, and in some cases for new beverage containers, the largest market for recycled plastics presently is in China, where rapid economic expansion and favorable labor rates provide greater opportunity than in domestic markets.

EPA estimates plastics (all resin types) comprised about 12% of MSW in 2005, and the recycling rate for plastic beverage containers was estimated to be slightly under 10%.