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PET chemical recycling – Ground-breaking Collaboration Accelerates Circular Economy: CARBIOS and Wankai Launch PET Chemical Recycling Plant Project in China with Ambitious Asia Expansion 

A Game-Changing Step Toward a Circular PET Economy

In a decisive move toward sustainability and resource efficiency, French biotech pioneer CARBIOS and Chinese materials leader Wankai New Materials have joined forces to build and operate a PET chemical recycling plant in China. This milestone partnership aims to transform how polyethylene terephthalate (PET) waste is managed—turning used plastic into a valuable resource within a circular economy framework. PET chemical recycling

The collaboration was formalized through an agreement that outlines the fundamental principles of cooperation. It marks CARBIOS’ first major international licensing project, bringing its enzymatic depolymerization technology to the world’s largest PET market.

Together, the companies plan to construct a plant with a processing capacity of 50,000 tonnes per year, with construction expected to begin in the first quarter of 2026. Beyond this first step, CARBIOS and Wankai envision a network of multiple facilities across Asia, with the ambitious goal of reaching 1 million tonnes of annual recycling capacity over time.

Strategic Partnership and Global Expansion Vision

Under the terms of the agreement, CARBIOS will grant the joint venture exclusive licensing rights to use its patented enzymatic PET chemical recycling technology throughout Asia. This provides Wankai with a significant competitive advantage while accelerating CARBIOS’ licensing-based business model.  PET chemical recycling

Wankai New Materials, the fourth-largest PET producer globally, will serve as main shareholder and financing guarantor of the joint venture. This role ensures the financial stability necessary to deliver a high-scale recycling facility and secure regional supply chains.

The initial project will operate as a joint venture headquartered in China, combining Wankai’s production expertise with CARBIOS’ cutting-edge biotechnology. Wankai has also agreed to make a €5 million investment in CARBIOS to support its growth and technology development.

This collaboration represents a turning point for CARBIOS, whose strategy centers on expanding internationally through technology licensing while maintaining operational excellence in Europe. It also strengthens China’s position as a hub for advanced circular materials, supporting its long-term sustainability and decarbonization objectives. PET chemical recycling

The Power Behind CARBIOS’ Enzymatic Technology

At the core of this partnership lies CARBIOS’ revolutionary enzymatic depolymerization process, which allows the efficient, solvent-free breakdown of PET plastic and polyester textile waste into virgin-grade monomers—purified terephthalic acid (PTA) and monoethylene glycol (MEG).

These monomers can be repolymerized into new PET without any loss in performance or quality, achieving true circularity for plastic materials that traditionally end up in landfills or incinerators. The process reduces dependency on fossil-based feedstocks and significantly lowers the carbon footprint of PET manufacturing.

Unlike mechanical recycling, which often downgrades plastic quality, CARBIOS’ enzymatic technology allows for infinite recycling cycles while maintaining material integrity. This breakthrough innovation could reshape global PET management and support a low-carbon, circular-economy future. PET chemical recycling

Wankai’s Role: Scale, Infrastructure, and Industry Access

With extensive experience in producing PET resin and polyester products, Wankai New Materials brings critical expertise in industrial scaling, process integration, and supply-chain management. Its participation ensures that the recycling plants will operate efficiently and at commercial scale. PET chemical recycling

As one of the world’s top four PET producers, Wankai’s involvement ensures market access, operational know-how, and regional logistics capabilities essential for the rapid expansion of PET chemical recycling in Asia. The collaboration gives both companies a first-mover advantage in a region that consumes more than half of the world’s PET.

Wankai’s commitment to sustainability is evident through its investment in clean technology and its alignment with China’s national goals for carbon neutrality and waste reduction. By integrating CARBIOS’ biotechnological expertise with Wankai’s production strength, the partnership creates a powerful model for scalable circular manufacturing. PET chemical recycling

From Pilot Success to Industrial Reality

CARBIOS’ first commercial PET recycling plant, located in Longlaville, France, is already under construction and expected to resume full development after earlier funding delays. The plant will serve as a proof of concept and reference site for the company’s international expansion.

France’s recent policy updates promoting locally produced recycled plastics have also reignited momentum for the project. Once operational, the Longlaville facility will validate CARBIOS’ industrial scalability—paving the way for the Chinese venture and other upcoming projects worldwide. PET chemical recycling

This combination of European pilot success and Asian industrial scale makes CARBIOS a global pioneer in enzymatic PET chemical recycling.

Economic and Environmental Significance

The joint venture’s 50,000-tonne-per-year plant will help divert massive amounts of plastic waste from landfills and incineration. Over time, scaling up to 1 million tonnes annually could prevent millions of tonnes of carbon emissions by replacing virgin PET with recycled equivalents.

Beyond environmental impact, the collaboration will generate economic value by establishing a stable, renewable feedstock supply for PET producers and brands pursuing sustainable packaging commitments. It aligns with international efforts to meet circular-economy goals and reduce plastic waste pollution. PET chemical recycling

This partnership also positions China as a leader in green manufacturing, while providing CARBIOS with long-term revenue through technology licensing, royalties, and potential expansion partnerships.