Carbios, a pioneer in the development of enzymatic solutions for the end of the life of polymers, plastics and textiles, has joined the WhiteCycle project, coordinated by Michelin, who launched the scheme in July 2022.

The main objective of WhiteCycle is the development of a circular solution to transform discarded complex plastics into high-added value products. Co-financed by Horizon Europe, the research and innovation program of the European Union, the European public/private partnership without precedent comprises 16 participants and will last for four years.

WhiteCycle predicts that, by 2030, the adoption and deployment of its circular solution will lead to the annual recycling of more than 2 million tonnes of the most used plastic in the world, PET. It will be able to remove from incineration around 1.8 million tonnes of these plastics every year. It will also reduce CO2 emissions by around 2 million tonnes.

Les complex wastes containing PET coming from tyres and clothing etc., are very difficult to recycle but this will change thanks to the expected results of the project. 

16 public and private European bodies combining scientific and industrial expertise will take part in the WhiteCycle project.

– 3 industrial partners (Michelin, Mandals, KORDSA);

– 1 intersectoral partner (Inditex);

– 2 waste management companies (Synergies TLC, ESTATO) ;

– 1 intelligent tracking and sorting system (IRIS) ;

– 1 PME in biological recycling (Carbios);

– 1 product lifecycle analysis company (IPOINT);

– 1 university, expert in the management of data FAIR (HVL) ;

– 4 universities, research and technology organizations (PPRIME – Université de Poitiers/CNRS, DITF, IFTH, ERASME) ;

– 1 competition cluster (AXELERA) ;

– 1 project management council company (Dynergie).

The consortium will develop the new required procedures throughout the industrial value chain:

– The tri-innovative technologies, to allow a significant augmentation of the PET plastic waste streams to better treat them.

– A treatment of recovered PET plastic content, following a revolutionary enzyme-based recycling process to break down durable materials into pure monomers;

– The repolymerisation of recycled monomers into a new plastic similar to new plastic;

– The manufacture and verification of the quality of new products manufactured from recycled plastic materials.

WhiteCycle has a global budget of 9.6 million euros and benefits from high-priced European finance of 7.1 million euros. The partners of the consortium are based in five countries (France, Spain, Germany, Turkey and Norway. Co-ordinated by Michelin it has an effective governance system comprising a steering committee, an advisory board and a technical support committee.