#Recycling / Circular Economy

2024-08-08

CARBIOS and FCC Environment announce joint project to establish UK-based PET biorecycling facility

CARBIOS, (Euronext Growth Paris : ALCRB), a pioneer in the development and industrialization of biological technologies to reinvent the life cycle of plastic and textiles, and FCC Environment UK (“FCC”), one of the UK’s leading recycling and waste management companies, have signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) to jointly study the implementation of a UK-based plant using CARBIOS’ PET biorecycling licensed technology.

CARBIOS’ biorecycling technology is key to supporting FCC’s continuing goal of contributing to the circular economy by exploring new processes and technologies to produce recycled PET (r-PET) from PET plastic and textiles. For CARBIOS, this LOI confirms interest from the waste management sector, in addition to plastic producers, and would mean a foothold for its technology in the UK.

FCC’s continuing contribution to the UK circular economy

Recycling has plateaued in the UK in recent years, but UK Government policy very much supports a continual move to a more circular economy which FCC Environment supports. Achieving a circular economy however requires innovation and investment to deliver real environmental change. Exploring biorecycling is one way of doing this, so FCC is keen to understand this technology better by seeking an evidence based view on the advantages of using enzymes for the treatment of PET such as lower energy consumption and better circularity of the polymers back into the PET production lines. The innovative depolymerization process developed by CARBIOS also facilitates the recycling of all kinds of PET waste, including problematic fractions such as polyester textiles, into high-quality recycled PET.

UK PET biorecycling plant would process hard-to-recycle waste

In order to tackle the plastic waste crisis, CARBIOS has developed a revolutionary enzymatic depolymerization technology that enables efficient and solvent-free recycling of PET plastic and textile waste into virgin-like products. CARBIOS has ambitious plans to become a leading technology provider in the recycling of PET by 2035. In addition to the world’s first industrial-scale enzymatic PET recycling plant which is currently under construction in Longlaville, France, this UK-based plant would process PET waste that is currently not recyclable using conventional recycling technologies, such as colored, multilayered or textile waste.

By creating value from waste, CARBIOS’ PET biorecycling technology is generating significant interest from waste management companies, proving that CARBIOS’ solution is relevant to both PET producers and waste management companies. For CARBIOS, partnering with FCC means access to feedstock at the source through its established collection systems, enhancing the efficiency and impact of our sustainable waste solution. I’m confident that the combination of our complementary areas of expertise will benefit both our companies, and the acceleration of a circular economy", comments CARBIOS CEO Emmanuel Ladent.

FCC Environment UK CEO, Steve Longdon, says: "To deliver the challenges set out in the Environment Act, we need to think creatively about how we recover the value in materials that society no longer wants, and textiles, as we know from our work promoting a reuse culture, pose a huge challenge to our sector. We are keen to explore with CARBIOS what contribution this technology could make to the UK circular economy and to examine further its place in the UK waste hierarchy from a firm evidence base."

Carbios and Wankai postpone startup of China’s first PET biorecycling plant to 2028

The industrial deployment of enzymatic PET recycling in Asia is progressing, but at a slower pace than initially planned. French recycling technology company Carbios and its Chinese partner Wankai New Materials have announced that the commissioning of their planned PET biorecycling facility in Haining, Zhejiang Province, has been postponed and is now expected in the first half of 2028.

Carbios confirms Longlaville plant in France following financing progress

Carbios has reaffirmed its plans to build its Longlaville plant in France within a project financing framework, targeting the start of production in the first half of 2028. The company also reports a solid cash position of around €60 million at the end of 2025 and has appointed Benoît Grenot as Deputy Chief Executive Officer to support the execution of its strategic projects.

CARBIOS and Wankai sign strategic PET biorecycling pact

CARBIOS (Euronext Growth Paris: ALCRB) and Wankai New Materials (“Wankai”), a listed subsidiary of Zhink Group, the 3rd largest PET producer in China and 4th worldwide, announce the signing of the definitive agreement establishing a strategic partnership for the industrial rollout of CARBIOS’s PET biorecycling technology in Asia. The first milestone will be the construction of a PET biorecycling plant in China.

Industrial scale meets verified governance: RE&UP is now B Corp™ certified

RE&UP, the circular-tech transforming global textile waste into high-volume Next-Gen materials, has officially become a Certified B Corporation™. The milestone establishes the industrial recycler among a select group of manufacturing infrastructure providers verified as meeting B Lab Standards for social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability.

Recover™ and Ünteks Group partner to scale recycled cotton in knitwear

Recover(TM), a global producer of low‐impact, high‐quality recycled cotton fiber, announces a new partnership with Ünteks Group, a vertically integrated textile manufacturer based in Turkey. The collaboration focuses on the development of circular knit fabrics and garments, combining Recover’s recycled cotton fiber with Ünteks Group’s integrated capabilities across knitting, dyeing, printing, and garment production.

ALADIN paves the way for circular and demand-driven textile production in Europe

Textile production can be organized sustainably by utilizing short supply chains and preventing overproduction. This can already be achieved today by intelligently connecting and efficiently utilizing existing infrastructure. At the same time, production becomes circular when innovative technologies and materials are used that enable high-quality recycling. The ALADIN research project, launched in May 2026 and co-funded with five million euros under the EU Horizon Europe program, is creating the conditions for this.

Ence and ShareTex begin initial testing of the ATENEA innovation project to promote textile recycling in Spain

Ence and ShareTex are making progress on the Atenea R&D project, which aims to develop a complete value chain for textile recycling in Spain. Specifically, the goal of the ATENEA project—which is funded by the Center for Technological Development and Innovation (CDTI)—is to connect all the necessary stages for the recovery of textile waste, from collection and management, through recycling and transformation into new raw materials, to their incorporation into new textile products.

Rieter sees Barmag integration on track as orders and sales rise

The first half of 2026 was shaped by the successful completion of the largest acquisition in Rieter’s history. The Man-Made Fiber Division enables entry into the growth segment of man-made fibers and sustainably strengthens Rieter’s market position in the Asia region. The expanded Group is now the world’s leading system supplier for the processing of natural and man-made fibers. In the first half of the year, initial cost savings in material costs and operating expenses have already been realized. The targeted synergies are expected to amount to at least CHF 20 million by the end of the 2028 financial year. Due to the completion of the acquisition on February 2, 2026, the first half of the year for the Man-Made Fiber Division only amounts to five months.