Carbios joins hand with TechnipFMC to scale up PET enzymatic recycling process

Carbios, a green chemistry company specializing in enzymatic bioprocesses applied to plastic and textile polymers, and TechnipFMC have jointly launched a project for the industrial development of CARBIOS polyethylene terephthalate (PET) enzymatic recycling process.

This process has been developed for the recycling of PET plastics, namely bottles, films and packaging. For the first time, a biological process paves the way to infinite recycling of PET, the company said, overcoming constraints and limits of current recycling processes by the treatment of all kind of plastics containing PET.

Jean-Claude Lumaret, General Manager of Carbios, said, "We are glad to initiate with TechnipFMC this stage of industrial engineering for our technology. This agreement is another step in the transition of our PET biorecycling process from the status of disruptive innovation to a leading industrial technology."

TechnipFMC, one of the leaders in the fields of energy, chemistry and bio-sourced industries, will help to transpose Carbios' process from the laboratory to the pilot scale. This collaboration will further aim at supporting the development of the project and define the bases of the industrial process.

"We are delighted to work with Carbios on this enzymatic recycling process that represents a true revolution in the world of PET. We have gained a solid experience in process engineering and we are very enthusiastic at the idea to assist Carbios in shaping the industrialization of this innovation," commented Alain Fran?ois, General Manager of TechnipFMC Operating Center in Lyon, France.

The global market of PET records a 4-5% annual growth and represents a world production of 64 million tons each year, split between one third of plastics and two thirds of fibers. In 10 years’ time, the annual production of this market is expected to reach 100 million tons.