CARBIOS and FCC Environment Partner to Launch UK PET Biorecycling Facility

CARBIOS (Euronext Growth Paris: ALCRB), a pioneer in biological technologies for transforming the lifecycle of plastics and textiles, and FCC Environment UK, a leading UK recycling and waste management firm, have signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) to investigate the establishment of a plant in the UK that will use CARBIOS' licensed PET biorecycling technology. CARBIOS’ biorecycling technology plays a crucial role in supporting FCC’s ongoing mission to contribute to the circular economy by investigating new processes and technologies to produce recycled PET (r-PET) from PET plastic and textiles. For CARBIOS, this LOI signifies growing interest from the waste management sector, alongside plastic producers, and would establish a presence for its technology in the UK.

Recycling rates have stagnated in the UK in recent years, but the UK Government's policy strongly supports a transition to a more circular economy, which FCC Environment endorses. Achieving this shift requires innovation and investment to drive real environmental change. One promising approach is biorecycling, and FCC is eager to explore this technology further. They seek evidence-based insights into the benefits of using enzymes for PET treatment, such as reduced energy consumption and improved polymer circularity. CARBIOS' innovative depolymerization process also enables the recycling of various PET waste types, including challenging fractions like polyester textiles, into high-quality recycled PET.

To address the plastic waste crisis, CARBIOS has developed a groundbreaking enzymatic depolymerization technology that allows for efficient, solvent-free recycling of PET plastic and textile waste into products that are virtually like new. CARBIOS aims to become a leading technology provider in PET recycling by 2035. Alongside the world’s first industrial-scale enzymatic PET recycling plant currently being built in Longlaville, France, this UK-based plant would be capable of processing PET waste that conventional recycling technologies cannot handle, such as colored, multilayered, or textile waste.

By extracting value from waste, CARBIOS’ PET biorecycling technology is attracting significant interest from waste management companies, demonstrating its relevance to both PET producers and waste managers. Partnering with FCC provides CARBIOS access to feedstock directly from established collection systems, enhancing the efficiency and impact of our sustainable waste solution. I am confident that our complementary expertise will benefit both companies and accelerate the transition to a circular economy," said Emmanuel Ladent, CEO of CARBIOS.

To address the challenges outlined in the Environment Act, we must adopt innovative approaches to reclaiming value from materials that are no longer desired by society. Textiles, in particular, present a significant challenge, as highlighted by our efforts to promote a culture of reuse. We are eager to explore with CARBIOS how this technology might enhance the UK’s circular economy and to assess its role within the UK waste hierarchy based on solid evidence," said Steve Longdon, CEO of FCC Environment UK.