Nestlé Waters, PepsiCo and L’Oréal endorse enzymatic PET recycling technology

01 May 2019 --- Nestlé Waters, PepsiCo and Suntory Beverage & Food Europe have joined a consortium that seeks to bring enhanced polyethylene terephthalate (PET) recycling technology to market on an industrial scale. Carbios, a bio-industrial solutions company, and L’Oréal have initiated the consortium to support the circular plastics economy using an enzyme-based enhanced recycling technology, developed by Carbios. The partnership also aims to help the involved companies meet their sustainability goals and includes technical milestones and support for the efficient supply of consumer-grade, 100 percent recycled PET plastics for global markets.

“By materializing a significant demand for recycled PET – which cannot be met with existing technologies – this partnership will accelerate the time-to-market of Carbios’ enhanced recycling technology, providing additional volumes of PET made from wastes, at the requested quality,” Caroline Carmagnol, a spokesperson for Carbios, tells PackagingInsights.

Carbios is a green chemistry company which has created innovations that provide solutions to the environmental and sustainable development issues manufacturers currently face. Since it was founded in 2011, the company has developed two industrial-scale biological processes for the biological breakdown and recycling of polymers.

Carbios enzymatic depolymerization
Credit TurbulencesThe consortium-endorsed technology uses highly specific enzymes that can recycle a much broader range of PET plastics and polyester fibers feedstock than other recycling methods. This innovative process creates recycled PET, equivalent to virgin PET, that can be used for applications including bottles and other types of packaging.

“We are pleased to welcome Nestlé Waters, PepsiCo and Suntory Beverage & Food Europe into the consortium. Their contribution will accelerate our common ambition to industrialize our recycling technology, which brings a breakthrough solution in the treatment of plastic waste,” says Jean-Claude Lumaret, CEO of Carbios.

A four-year agreement has put been put in place, under the terms of which the consortium partners plan to bring the recycling technology to market and boost the availability of quality recycled plastics to cater to each company’s sustainability commitments. 

The new way of plastic processing breaks down PET plastic waste into its original building blocks, which can then be used to produce high-quality PET plastic. The patented technology offers the potential to recycle PET plastics repeatedly and paves the way for 100 percent recycled PET content in new products. 

“Carbios plans to grant a first industrial license of its PET enhanced recycling technology in 2023/2024,” Carmagnol notes.

“Carbios’ technology is a new step forward, in addition to the mechanical and chemical recycling that contribute to reaching our 2025 goals; 50 percent of our products’ plastic components is recycled or bio-sourced. By working together with our partners, we will succeed in creating a more sustainable world based on circular economy principles,” notes Philippe Thuvien, Packaging & Development Vice-President at L’Oréal.

Carbios enzymatic depolymerization illustration
 Credit Sydo“We are pleased to be joining the consortium in supporting the development of this new technology. It can help us to achieve Nestlé’s goal of increasing the amount of recycled PET content in our bottles without compromising on quality and contribute to creating an environmentally sustainable world for the next generation,” adds Massimo Casella, Head of R&D Nestlé Waters.

Further proving the potential of the technology, Carbios recently achieved a world first using its enzymatic technology to create PET bottles from 100 percent recycled plastics. This biological approach can handle all forms of PET plastics (clear, colored, opaque and multilayer) and polyester fibers. The process requires limited heat and no pressure or solvents, which improves its environmental impact and provides a competitive solution to increase global plastic recycling rates. 

Simon Lowden, President of Global Foods at PepsiCo, says that the company 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,” he explains. 

“Addressing the global issue of plastic waste requires large scale collaboration, innovative thinking and investment in new and ground-breaking technologies. We are delighted to partner with Carbios to drive real action to tackle plastic waste,” Roberto Vanin, Chief R&D Officer Suntory Beverage & Food Europe, says.

“Their innovative approach to enzymatic recycling reflects our desire at Suntory Beverage and Food Europe to actively seek out forward-thinking solutions to solve the challenges of today and ensure a sustainable future,” Vanin concludes.

By Kristiana Lalou