Carbios PET biorecycling

World-first enzyme-based process enabling infinite recycling of PET plastics and fibers.

01.

Identification

Technology provides an industrial solution to the recycling of PET plastics and textiles (the dominant polymer in bottles, trays, and textiles made of polyester). The enzymatic recycling technology developed by Carbios deconstructs any type of PET plastic waste into its basic components, which can then be reused to produce new PET plastics of a quality equivalent to virgin ones. This innovation, the first of its kind in the world, was recently recognized in a scientific paper published in the prestigious journal Nature.

Video
/
Images

Label Date May 9, 2022

By CARBIOS

From France

Maturity stage Prototype testing in the real world

Looking For Visibility, Partners, Network

02.

Implementation Stories

Carbios PET biorecycling by CARBIOS
Implemented by Longlaville in Longlaville (France) in 2025

A collaboration between Carbios and Indorama Ventures, the world leader in the production of recycled PET for the bottle market, was announced in February 2022. The project is to build the world’s first PET bio recycling plant in France (Longlaville, Meurthe et Moselle) for 2025, with an estimated processing capacity of approximately 50,000 tons of post-consumer PET waste per year (= 2B bottles). The first industrial unit is scheduled to be operational in early 2025 and is expected to create approximately 150 direct and indirect full-time jobs.

Read the full story

Result

Potential saving of 45,000 tons of co2 equivalent per year

Carbios PET biorecycling by CARBIOS
Implemented by L'Oréal in Clichy (France) in 2025

L’Oréal is the world's leading beauty company.

Read the full story

Result

Successful production of the world’s first food-grade PET plastic bottles produced entirely from enzymatically recycled plastic.

Carbios PET biorecycling by CARBIOS
Implemented by Michelin in Clermont-Ferrand (France) in 2021

Carbios, and partner of the foundation, Michelin, are a major step closer to achieving a world-first in the tire sector. Michelin have successfully validated the use of Carbios’ enzymatic recycling technology for PET plastic waste in its tires – the testing marks a new step towards 100% sustainable tires. Carbios’ enzymatic recycling process uses an enzyme capable of depolymerizing the PET contained in various plastics or textiles (bottles, trays, polyester clothing, etc.). This major step confirms the potential of Carbios’ process to engage the industry in a responsible transition towards a sustainable circular economy model.

Read the full story

Result

Carbios’ enzymatic recycling process therefore enables Michelin to get one step closer to its sustainable ambitions, and contributes to the entry of tires into a true circular economy. Michelin is committed to achieving 40% sustainable materials (of renewable or recycled origin) by 2030 and 100% by 2050.

Carbios PET biorecycling by CARBIOS
Implemented by Citeo in Longlaville (France) in 2023

The consortium made up of Carbios, Wellman and Valorplast won 30% of the tonnages proposed by Citeo. From 2023, this consortium will be responsible for the recycling of single-layer and multilayer trays. The quantities will be processed by Wellman to separate and mechanically recycle single-layer trays for return to food packaging. The remaining of the flow will be recycled by Carbios from 2025, in its future plant in Longlaville, the first in the world in the world that will enable the biorecycling of all types of PET, especially multilayer PET. Through this project, the French company Carbios will apply on a large scale its unique technology, which uses highly selective enzymes to transform PET pots and trays into PET suitable for food contact. This contract with Citeo has been signed for 9 years.

Read the full story

Result

Result of Citeo's call for tender: 108,000 tons of plastic packaging recycled by 2025; 4 new recycling units built in France, and 5 consolidated thanks to the tender;

Carbios PET biorecycling by CARBIOS
Implemented by PVH Corps in Clermont-Ferrand (France) in 2023

Carbios has signed an agreement with PVH Corp. to join its fiber-to-fiber consortium founded with On, Patagonia, PUMA, and Salomon. Carbios, On, Patagonia, PUMA, PVH Corp., and Salomon collaborate to test and enhance Carbios’ breakthrough biological recycling technology on their own products. The ultimate aim is to prove fiber-to-fiber closed circularity using Carbios’ biorecycling process at an industrial scale in support of the Consortium members’ ambitious sustainability commitments.

Read the full story

Result

Carbios PET biorecycling by CARBIOS
Implemented by Novozymes in Longlaville (France) in 2023

Carbios and Novozymes, the world leader in biological solutions, announce today an exclusive long-term global strategic partnership. This major agreement ensures the long-term production and supply of Carbios’ proprietary PET-degrading enzymes at an industrial scale for the world’s first biological PET-recycling plant due to start production in 2025 in Longlaville (France), as well as Carbios’ future licensee customers. Production at the plant is set to start in 2025 and the processing capacity will be 50,000 tonnes of waste per year

Read the full story

Result

Processing capacity will be 50,000 tonnes of waste per year.

03.

The environmental benefits

•A 20m3 depolymerization reactor is capable of processing 2 tons of PET waste per batch, which is the equivalent of 100,000 bottles
•The enzyme depolymerizes 90% of post-consumption PET in only 10 hours
•Low temperature (72 °C), atmospheric pressure, water-based technology, no organic solvants
•Potential saving of 30% CO2 emisions compared to a conventional end-of-life for PET waste not treated by mechanical recycling (mix of in incineration and landfill).

04.

The Financial benefits

•Suitable with existing PET production facilities
•A biological technology based on the principles of the Circular Economy that opens up new opportunities for all the players of the value chain
•Upcycles post-consumer waste that today has no or very low value (few dollars per tons): trays as well as opaque, colored and multi-layered bottles unsuitable for mainstrain alternatives