Carbios has held a groundbreaking ceremony for its €54 billion PET biorecycling plant which is being constructed in Longlaville, in the Grand-Est region of France.

As the first industrial-scale solution for the enzymatic depolymerization of PET waste, the plant will have an annual processing capacity of 50,000 tons of prepared waste when operating at full capacity. The enzymatic biorecycling technology enables both PET packaging and textile waste to be fully recycled.

Work is progressing on schedule with significant quantities scheduled to be delivered to customers in 2026.

In a LinkedIn post ahead of the ceremony, President Macron commented that Carbios is enabling a technological revolution to take shape.

“Ecological transition and growth, made in France and innovation go hand in hand,” he said.

“At a time when governments are negotiating an international treaty against plastic pollution in Ottowa, the groundbreaking at the Carbios biorecycling plant is particularly significant,” added Christophe Béchu, the French Minister for Ecological Transition and Territorial Cohesion. “It illustrates the commitment of France to the ecological transition, and demonstrates our ability to turn challenges into opportunities for a more sustainable future. This plant embodies French innovation in responding to complex environmental challenges.”

The plant will create 150 direct and indirect jobs in the region and is is currently under construction on land officially acquired from Indorama Ventures.

As part of the France 2030 plan, Carbios will receive grants totalling €54 million from the French State and Grand-Est Region.

France 2030 will see a total of €54 billion invested to ensure that companies, universities and research organizations are in a position to respond competitively to the ecological and attractiveness challenges of the world ahead, and to foster the emergence of future leaders in the field of ecological transition.

www.carbios.com