Product Overview of Carbios
Carbios is a pioneering bio-industrial company that has developed innovative technologies to revolutionize the recycling and biodegradation of plastic and textile polymers, particularly focusing on Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) and other polymers.
What the Product Does
Carbios’ primary product is its enzymatic recycling technology, which enables the biological recycling of all types of PET plastic waste, including bottles, packaging, and textiles. This technology breaks down PET plastics into their original building blocks, or monomers, which can then be used to produce new, high-quality PET products without any loss of quality.
Key Features and Functionality
Enzymatic Recycling Process
- Efficient Depolymerization: Carbios uses hyper-charged enzymes derived from naturally occurring ones to break down PET plastics into their monomers, such as ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid. This process requires only a few hours, limited heat, and no pressure or solvents.
- High Efficiency: The enzymatic process can break down 90% of PET plastic in 10 hours and 97% in 16 hours, making it significantly more efficient than traditional biological recycling methods.
- Quality Preservation: The resulting monomers are purified and can be re-polymerized into PET of a quality equivalent to virgin PET, allowing for infinite recycling cycles without degradation.
Biodegradation Technology
- Compostable Bioplastics: Carbios also develops biodegradation technologies for bioplastics, such as Polylactic Acid (PLA), by incorporating enzymes that break down these materials into harmless substances at ambient temperatures. This process ensures 100% compostability without microplastics or toxic residues.
Sustainability and Environmental Impact
- Reduced Waste: Carbios’ technology significantly reduces the amount of plastic waste in landfills and oceans by enabling the recycling of complex and soiled plastics that are difficult or impossible to recycle using conventional methods.
- Lower Carbon Emissions: The enzymatic recycling process reduces greenhouse gas emissions by about 30% compared to producing virgin PET, with potential for further reduction as the technology advances.
Industrial Scalability
- Demonstration and Industrial Plants: Carbios is transitioning from demonstration facilities to full-scale industrial plants, with plans to build larger reactors near plastic manufacturers in Europe or the US. This scalability aims to integrate the technology into existing production lines, enhancing its impact and reach.
Business Model
- Licensing and Partnerships: Carbios generates revenue by licensing its technology to other companies in the industry and through the sale of recycled materials produced using its enzymatic recycling process. This model allows for widespread adoption and collaboration with manufacturers and waste management companies.
In summary, Carbios’ innovative enzymatic recycling and biodegradation technologies offer a game-changing solution for the plastic pollution problem, enabling a circular economy where plastics can be recycled infinitely without quality loss, and bioplastics can be fully composted, significantly reducing environmental impact.