Key global drinks brands including Nestlé Waters, PepsiCo and Suntory Beverage & Food Europe, have joined a consortium led by cleantech company Carbios and L’Oréal to commercialise an enzymatic technology for the recycling of plastics.
The partnership, announced 29 April, will work towards scaling up a Carbios technology which claims to use highly specific enzymes to recycle “much broader PET plastics and polyester fibres feedstock than other recycling technologies.”
This process creates recycled PET, equivalent to virgin PET, that can be used for applications like bottles and other forms of packaging.
The technology involves breaking down all forms of PET plastics – including clear, coloured, opaque and multilayer – and polyester fibres into their original building blocks, using limited heat and no pressure or solvents.
The French cleantech company said it had “recently” achieved a world first using its enzymatic technology to create PET bottles from 100% recycled plastics.
Under the terms of the four-year agreement, the target is to bring Carbios’ PET-enhanced recycling technology to the market and increase the availability of high-quality recycled plastics to fulfil the partners' sustainability commitments.
The collaboration includes technical milestones and support for the efficient supply of consumer-grade, 100% recycled PET plastics for global markets.
“Their [new partners’] contribution will accelerate our common ambition and help to industrialise our recycling technology, which brings a breakthrough solution in the treatment of plastic waste,” said Jean-Claude Lumaret, CEO of Carbios.
L’Oréal, according to packaging & development VP Philippe Thuvien, is counting on the technology to partially contribute its 2025 recycling goals.
The beauty brand is aiming to produce 50% of its plastic components from recycled materials or bio-sourced by 2025.
“We are convinced that by working together with our partners, we will succeed in creating a more sustainable world based on circular economy principles,” Thuvien added.
Drinks giants join bid for enzymatic plastics recycling
Carbios YouTube video
The French cleantech company said it had “recently” achieved a world first using its enzymatic technology to create PET bottles from 100% recycled plastics.