Enzymatic recycling:
removing the constraints of current processes
Opening new ecological and competitive avenues for the virtuous management of the life cycle of plastic and textile materials
Process overview
Our enzymatic recycling process uses an enzyme capable of specifically depolymerizing the PET (polyethylene terephthalate) contained in various plastics or textiles. Current thermomechanical recycling processes have limitations: only clear plastic can be recycled in closed loops, with a loss of quality in each cycle, making it difficult to obtain new products from 100% recycled PET. Thus, complex and soiled plastics are very difficult or impossible to recycle.
Unlike conventional processes, our innovation allows the recycling of all types of PET waste as well as the production of 100% recycled and 100% recyclable PET products, without loss of quality. Plastic and textile waste is now a precious raw material enabling the circular economy to become an industrial reality.
How does it work?
The monomers resulting from the depolymerization process are purified in order to be re-polymerized into a PET of a quality equivalent to the virgin PET obtained from the petrochemical industry. The unique process that we are developing allows the recycling of these materials, whether clear, opaque, complex or of textile origin (polyesters), to produce new materials.
This is the first organic approach allowing PET plastics and textiles to be recycled according to a circular economy principle.
This innovation meets strong demand from consumers, public authorities and manufacturers who have made ambitious commitments in terms of sustainable development and eco-design of their packaging. This revolutionary technology makes it possible to recover all PET waste, including waste that cannot be recovered using current recycling technologies.
An internationally recognized process:
This PET innovation, the first of its kind in the world, was recently recognized in a scientific paper published in the prestigious journal Nature. The article, entitled “An engineered PET-depolymerase to break down and recycle plastic bottles”, was co-authored by our scientific teams and those of our academic partner, Toulouse Biotechnology Institute (TBI)
In 2019, our recycling technology of PET plastics is among the first innovations to join the selection of the 1,000 sustainable and competitive solutions certified by the Solar Impulse Foundation. This label is awarded to innovations that combine criteria of technical feasibility, positive social and environmental impact, and economic viability.
Development stage and outlooks
At the pilot stage, Carbios’ technology has already made it possible to produce the first batches of transparent PET bottles from monomers obtained from the depolymerization of PET plastic waste as well as from PET polyester textile waste.
The launch of Carbios’ industrial demonstration plant, operating its biorecycling process, occurred in September 2021. This demonstration plant, located on a site of the Michelin Group in Clermont-Ferrand, validates the technical, environmental, and economic performance of our enzymatic PET recycling process. This step makes it possible to prepare the complete engineering documents of the process (from waste to monomers) for the construction and implementation of a first industrial unit.
The project “LIFE Cycle of Pet” project has received funding from the LIFE Programme of the European Union
The European LIFE funding program is a major grants tool that supports innovative solutions with low environmental impact and a track record of industrial deployment. Carbios’ technology fully complies with the European Commission’s goals.
Carbios announced that it has received alongside two significant partners T.EN Zimmer GmbH and Deloitte € 3.3 million – including € 3 million for Carbios – in the form of a European grant. T.EN Zimmer GmbH, will provide its expertise on monomer repolymerization in 100% recycled PET, and Deloitte on the environmental performance analysis (mainly through the Life Cycle Analysis) of the process for plastic and textile waste.
Contact: Benjamin Remy – benjamin.remy@carbios.com
The objective of the project is to demonstrate on a pre-industrial scale (100t of waste treated / year) the enzymatic recycling process of PET and to license the technology.
The market
PET offers significant advantages (weight, durability, versatility) compared to alternative materials, making it a widely used polymer in the packaging and textile sectors. As they have a short lifespan, almost all PET products marketed are transformed into waste, making PET a priority target for recycling.
In 2017, the global market for the production of PET bottles, packaging, and films represented around 24 million tonnes with an annual growth rate of 3.4%. For PET fibers (textiles, rugs, carpets, pillows, duvets, etc.), production represented 42 million metric tons, up by 6% per year. These production levels could reach over 30 and 67 million tonnes respectively in 2025. (Sources: IHS Markit in 2018 and PCI Wood Mackenzie in 2018)
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Carbios announces the publication of an article on its enzymatic recycling technology in the prestigious scientific journal Nature
8 April 2020 | 18h00This publication outlines Company’s proprietary process for converting plastic waste into new bottles – a breakthrough towards a circular economy Clermont-Ferrand, France, April 8th, 2020...
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Carbios produces first clear plastic bottles from enzymatically recycled textile waste
19 November 2020 | 6h45The company’s latest recycling milestone brings new value to an otherwise waste-destined 42 million tons of polyester textiles produced annually[1] Clermont-Ferrand, France, November 19th, 2020...