Innovative Enzymatic Recycling Technology Produced Food-Grade PET Plastics

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): A consortium of companies has announced production of world’s first food-grade PET plastic bottles produced using Carbios’ breakthrough enzymatic recycling process. The participating companies in the consortium are L’Oreal, Nestle Waters, PepsiCo and Suntory Beverage & Food Europe.

According to news release, each participating company has manufactured sample bottles using the technology. The consortium will now work together to scale this innovation to meet the global demand for sustainable packaging solutions.

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Carbios, after nearly ten years’ research and development activities, developed a process to supercharge an enzyme that naturally occurs in compost heaps. It optimized the technology to empower this enzyme to break down any kind of PET plastic into its building blocks, which in turn can be virgin quality plastic. The process claims to completely close the loop on global PET plastic supply, thus resulting in zero wastage.

Carbios plans to break grounds on a demonstration plant in September 2021 and a full-fledged industrial facility by 2025. The company will license the unique technology to PET manufacturers across the globe.

The consortium was founded in 2017 by Carbios and L’Oreal, with the aim of marketing the innovative recycling technology on an industrial scale. It was later joined by Nestle Waters, PepsiCo and Suntory Europe in 2019.