Enzymatic PET recycling – Carbios’ Ambitious China Expansion Signals Powerful Global Shift Toward Scalable Enzymatic PET Recycling and Circular Plastic Solutions Through Major Wankai Partnership Agreement 17-11-2025
Enzymatic PET recycling
Carbios is accelerating its global growth strategy as it edges closer to licensing its breakthrough enzymatic PET recycling technology. The French biotechnology innovator has confirmed the viability of its business model in China through a major agreement with Wankai New Materials, a subsidiary of Zhink Group. This step positions Carbios to potentially establish its first commercial-scale recycling plant in the country, marking a major moment for both the company and the emerging circular plastics industry.
A Strategic Collaboration Taking Shape in China
Discussions between Carbios and Wankai New Materials began in June 2024, but the two companies have now reached a binding agreement outlining the core principles of their collaboration. At the center of the partnership is a plan to deploy an annual processing capacity of at least 50,000 metric tons of prepared PET waste, using Carbios’ proprietary enzymatic PET recycling technology.
According to Carbios CEO Vincent Kamel, the agreement represents a critical milestone in the company’s international expansion: “This agreement represents a key step in the international roll-out of our technology and an important milestone in the implementation of our licensing model.” The deal brings Carbios closer to commercializing its technology at scale while validating the industrial interest behind enzymatic PET recycling.
Building a Next-Generation Biorecycling Plant
Once final agreements are signed—including shareholders’ and licensing contracts—the partnership will begin constructing a biorecycling facility in China. This plant will integrate Carbios’ patented enzymes, which break down PET waste into its original building blocks: purified terephthalic acid (PTA) and mono-ethylene glycol (MEG). Through the technology license, Wankai will gain the legal right to produce these monomers using the enzymatic PET recycling process.
This “infinite recycling” concept is one of Carbios’ strongest advantages. Unlike mechanical recycling, which typically downgrades plastic quality, enzymatic PET recycling can return PET to virgin-grade performance while minimizing energy use and maximizing material recovery.
China: A Global Powerhouse in PET and Recycling
China represents a crucial market for any company focused on PET and plastics circularity. The country is the world’s largest PET producer and plays a dominant role in global recycling. In 2021, Asia accounted for 58% of recycled PET consumption—China alone represented 38%. Additionally, the region produces 67 million tons of PET annually, representing over 60% of global production.
Carbios highlighted China’s importance early in its discussions with Wankai. With rising global demand for rPET and expanding sustainability regulations, China is well-positioned to become a leader in next-generation recycling technologies like enzymatic PET recycling. The country is also the world’s largest hub for transforming PET into fiber, accounting for a substantial 78% of global PET-to-fiber conversion.
Strengthening the Circular PET Ecosystem
Kamel emphasized the strategic significance of partnering with Wankai, China’s third-largest PET producer: “This cooperation will enable us to produce enzymatically recycled PET and make a concrete contribution to the transition to a more circular and low-carbon PET industry.”
The Zhink Group produces 3 million tons of PET annually across global markets. Wankai specializes in various PET polyester products, including bottle-grade and non-bottle-grade chips, as well as biobased and recycled PET. The company also maintains large-scale production capacity for PET resin, making it a strong industrial partner for deploying enzymatic PET recycling at meaningful volumes.
Financial Investment and Governance Points
As part of the binding agreement, Wankai plans to invest €5 million into Carbios. This stake could give Wankai a seat on Carbios’ board of directors, although terms are still under negotiation. The investment may also require administrative approval from both French and Chinese authorities.
While Carbios will supply its enzymatic PET recycling technology, Wankai will serve as the main shareholder of the future joint venture. The company will also be responsible for financing the biorecycling plant, which is expected to break ground in the first quarter of 2026. Final contractual agreements are anticipated by the end of 2025.
A Step Toward Global Circular PET Solutions
The collaboration positions Carbios to scale its enzymatic PET recycling technology in one of the world’s most influential plastics markets. If successful, the China-based plant could become a global reference point for circular PET production, demonstrating how biotechnology can drive large-scale transformation in polymer recycling.
For Carbios, the agreement represents more than a licensing opportunity—it is a strategic foothold in accelerating global adoption of enzymatic PET recycling and reshaping the future of sustainable PET production.
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