Clermont-Ferrand, France, 9 December 2022 (6 h 45 AM CEST). Carbios (Euronext Growth Paris: ALCRB), a pioneer in the development and industrialization of biological technologies to reinvent the life cycle of plastics and textiles, hosted the world’s first PET Biorecycling Summit from 7 to 8 December 2022 in Paris. The event attracted over 100 international participants from the scientific, academic, and industrial worlds to exchange on the advances in the field of biological recycling, and how to bring these innovations for a circular economy to market.
The two-day conference gathered world-renowned scientists from various academic institutions to share their latest research on PET enzymatic depolymerization. Bertrand Piccard, Initiator and Chairman of the Solar Impulse Foundation, joined as the Keynote Speaker for the last session focused on PET circularity, and praised Carbios’ contribution to reducing plastic pollution. The Summit concludes with a visit of Carbios’ demonstration plant in Clermont-Ferrand today. The demonstration plant was inaugurated in September 2021 and brings Carbios’ technology one step closer to industrialization. Following the demonstration plant’s success, Carbios is on track to build and operate the world’s first industrial-scale enzymatic PET recycling plant (with a processing capacity of 50.000 tons of PET waste per year) in France (Longlaville) by 2025, and to start licensing its technology throughout the world.
“Reducing plastic waste is one of the major challenges of our times. Carbios’ technology for the biological recycling of plastics was one of the first innovations labeled “Efficient Solution” by the Solar Impulse Foundation back in 20193. Carbios has my continued support and I commend today’s initiative to gather key stakeholders in the fight to protect the environment.”
“At Carbios, our teams have developed a unique enzymatic process that makes it possible to biologically recycle the second most widely used plastic in the world: PET. Unlike mainstream recycling methods, our innovative process makes it possible to recycle all types of waste, even polyester textiles, to be reused in the production of new PET plastics with equivalent quality to virgin ones. This first PET Biorecycling Summit allowed us to explore the scientific advances in the field of enzymatic recycling and to challenge ourselves to go further, faster, with the support of an international network of experts.”
“The success of our industrialization model is based on our ability to forge strategic partnerships. Since Carbios’ inception, we have built partnerships in research, business, and finance, as well as consortiums with major brand owners in both the packaging and textile industries. I am honored that so many delegates were present for the first PET Biorecycling Summit, as I am convinced that we can reach a truly circular economy with biological recycling only if academics and industry work hand in hand.”
Download the press release here.
