The Carbios enzymatic depolymerisation process could open new pathways to produce recycled polyester

Beverage-producing powerhouses PepsiCo, Nestlé Waters and Suntory Beverage & Food Europe are the three latest large-scale firms to join a consortium designed to tackle plastic waste.

The initiative, founded by bioindustrial innovator Carbios and cosmetics firm L’Oréal, seeks to promote Carbios’ PET-enhanced recycling technology; bringing it to scale and opening the process up to the mass market within four years.

The enzymatic polyester depolymerisation process developed by Carbios has the potential to open new pathways to recycle polyester and, eventually, to negate the use of raw materials derived from fossil fuels in the fibre’s production.

The novel enzymatic depolymerisation of polyester fibres is said to facilitate a return to virgin grade PET, and is achieved by depolymerising plastic waste into original monomers of PTA (terephthalic acid) and MEG (mono ethylene glycol).

Discussing the consortium’s newest recruits, Jean-Claude Lumaret, CEO of Carbios, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Nestlé Waters, PepsiCo and Suntory Beverage & Food Europe into the Consortium we have created with L’Oréal.

“Their contribution will accelerate our common ambition and help to industrialise our recycling technology, which brings a breakthrough solution in the treatment of plastic waste.”

Carbios and L’Oréal founded the Consortium to bring enhanced recycling technology designed and developed by Carbios to market on an industrial scale; an ambition much better served through the addition of the economic clout and large volumes of plastic outputs with the three new inductees possess.

Under the terms of the four-year deal, partners’ commitments include a range of technical milestones and set volumes of efficiently supplied consumer-grade, 100 per cent recycled PET plastics.

Simon Lowden, president of global foods at PepsiCo, noted: “PepsiCo is striving for a world where plastics need never become waste. Achieving that requires collaborative efforts to drive transformative change across the packaging lifecycle.

“The Consortium offers us the opportunity to accelerate the development of this promising enzymatic recycling technology which, alongside mechanical and chemical recycling, can move us closer to a circular economy for plastics.”

Courtesy: Eco Textile