September 25, 2024 15:56

As they await the launch of the French plant for enzymatic recycling of PET waste, scheduled for two years from now, the French biotech company Carbios is fine-tuning the supply chain to capitalize on the monomers obtained from the depolymerization process: terephthalic acid (PTA) and monoethylene glycol (MEG).

For this purpose, Carbios has signed a letter of intent with polyester producer Selenis, part of the Portuguese IMG group, which will use the two bio-recycled monomers to synthesize high-quality PETG for cosmetic and healthcare packaging sectors across Europe and the U.S.

The collaboration comes after successful polymerization tests conducted by Selenis at both pilot and industrial scales, using Carbios-supplied monomers. The result is high-specialty PETG grades obtained from biorecycling that meet the strict requirements of sectors like cosmetics and healthcare, where Selenis has a strong presence through its Selcare brand.

In the medical and pharmaceutical industries, PETG properties are also critical for guaranteeing packaging performance, sterility, transparency, and optical brightness, making it an ideal choice for complex medical device packaging, pharmaceutical blisters, or any other packaging of diagnostic equipment.

"Carbios and Selenis have a long collaboration, and we are pleased to build on this established relationship to produce PETG from Carbios’ unique biorecycling technology," Emmanuel Ladent, CEO of Carbios, said. "This high-specialty, premium material meets demanding quality requirements while also contributing to the transition to more sustainable packaging materials. The partnership will open new markets for Carbios, notably the healthcare sector, as we continue our worldwide commercial deployment."

Carbios's biological recycling technology, known as C-Zyme, relies on an enzyme to depolymerize PET and polyester fibers, returning them to their original components—terephthalic acid and monoethylene glycol. Once purified, these monomers can be reused to produce polyester that matches the quality of virgin materials and remains recyclable at the end of its life. The first commercial plant, with a capacity to treat 50,000 tons of PET waste per year, is expected to be operational in Longlaville, France, within two years.

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