Ethylene glycol is predominantly used in two areas: in antifreeze
mixtures in automobile cooling systems, and as a diol in polyester
manufacture. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), the most important
product, is mainly used for fiber manufacture, but is also
employed for films and resins. The breakdown of ethylene glycol
usage for these two purposes differs greatly from country to
country. In the USA, more than 50% has long been used in antifreeze, but because of the trend to smaller motors and to longer