France-based CARBIOS reports it has used its enzymatic waste recycling technology to produce bottles containing 100-percent recycled purified terephthalic acid (rPTA) from textile waste containing a high PET content. Carbios notes that this capability opens up access to a 42-million-ton waste stream per year, which is worth more than $40 billion. It also allows polyester textile fibers to be upcycled into a high-quality grade of PET suitable for clear bottle production when they currently are landfilled or downcycled into such applications as padding or rags.
“This major innovation allows us to expand our sources of supply which, until now, consisted primarily of PET plastic waste,” said Professor Alain Marty, chief scientific officer of Carbios.
November/December 2020