Corporation for PET bio-recycling facility in Turkey

Carbios, a French biotech organization centered around plastic and textile life cycles, and Sasa, a producer of polyester, fiber, filament yarn, polyester-based polymers, specialty polymers and intermediates, have come together to explore the potential licensing of Carbios' PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bio-recycling technology. The partnership could lead Sasa to establish an enzymatic depolymerization facility in Adana/Turkey, capable of processing up to 100,000 tons of PET waste per year.

The envisaged technology offers a solution for recycling textile waste sourced from various inputs, ultimately delivering polyester pellets, fibers, and textiles. Sasa's adoption of Carbios' PET biorecycling technology could address the increasing international demand for sustainable materials in the textile sector, particularly in Europe.

Presently, less than 1% of textile waste undergoes processing into new fibers. With the rising push for more recycled content by European regulations (at least 20% of recycled fibers required by 2030), demand for recycled polyester within the EU is set to grow. Turkey, due to its strategic location, is positioned to become a primary producer, in conjunction with Asian countries.

The strategy of Sasa Polyester Sanayi A.Ş., Adana/Turkey, to become a major supplier of high value-added polyester in the region includes embracing recycling as part of its business operations. The company plans to include Carbios' PET biorecycling technology within its transformation strategy, which combines back integration, capacity expansion, enhanced competitiveness, and circularity.

The technological of Carbios SA, Clermont-Ferrand/France, allows for an effective, solvent-free recycling of PET plastic and textile waste, matching the quality of original, virgin products. Having charted ambitious plans to become a leading technology provider by 2035 in PET recycling, Carbios' recent partnership with Zhink Group in China further substantiates the global impact of their bio-recycling technology as an asset for PET waste management. The additional prospective licensing agreement in Turkey reinforces the far-reaching impact of the company’s technologies.The project is expected to run until October 2026.

AGC Vinythai Public Company Limited (AGC Vinythai) was established following the successful integration between AGC Chemicals (Thailand) Company Limited and Vinythai Public Company Limited.