Carbios SAS set to licence and expand PET recycling

Carbios SAS has announced “excellent outputs” from its demonstration plant in Clermont-Ferrand and its advanced engineering study for the reference unit allowing the transfer of Carbios’ PET biorecycling technology to licensees. In mid-February 2023, Carbios joined the fibre-to-fibre consortium of prestigous PET fibre producers to expand the reach and scale of Carbios’ cutinase-based recycling process for PET, the world’s fourth most common plastic. In February 2022, it announced the construction of its first commercial plant set to start in 2025 with an annual capacity of 50 kilotonnes co-financed by Indorama Ventures, the world’s largest producer of recycled PET for beverage bottles.

With the completion of the Technical Information Summary, Carbios is geared up for the global commercialisation of its PET biorecycling technology that breaks down PET into its monomers, which can be used to remanufacture virgin PET. The successful ongoing operations in its demonstration unit in Clermont-Ferrand and the advanced engineering study for its first commercial plant define the engineering basis and operational guidelines for units to be operated under license agreements.  From technology promotion with the Technical Information Summary to project development with a specific Process Design Package and Process Book, future Carbios licensees will be handed all necessary process documentation to reliably engineer, procure, construct and operate their PET biorecycling plants under stringent HSE standards and with high product quality.

PET producers and chemical companies are potential customers for Carbios’ technology that allows true circularity for PET with alternative feedstock to petro-sourced monomers, that is fully compatible with existing polymerisation plants. By providing value to all possible sources of PET feedstock including complex plastic packaging and textile waste, Carbios also aims to reach out to other players in the value chain such as waste management companies and public entities.  Carbios’ technology also provides a solution to brand owners in order to meet growing regulatory requirements as well as their own ambitious sustainability objectives for the inclusion of r-PET in their products and packaging. This might be crucial with regard to the EU Commission’s plan to launch a plastics strategy aiming to prevent microplastics pollution this year.

“As the leading company in the industrialisation of biorecyling technology, Carbios is keen to bring its solution for plastic and textile circularity at scale to partners around the world,” commented Stéphane Ferreira, Chief Business Officer of Carbios. “Wherever there is plastic use, there is a need for eco-responsible recycling.  At Carbios, we are ready to deploy our biorecycling technology and contribute concretely to the circular economy of plastic.”

The milestone complements the collaborations with brand owners within Carbios’ two consortiums, and the exclusive long-term partnership with Novozymes, the world leader in enzyme production, which ensures the supply of enzymes to the Carbios reference unit and future licensed plants.