Carbios is pleased to announce that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has granted Carbios a patent on its proprietary process forPET recycling from plastic waste using enzymatic technology.

The patent granting (US 10,124,512) recognizes Carbios for its invention of a method for recycling polyethylene terephthalate (PET) from a mixture of plastic waste products using enzymes, to specifically depolymerize PET into its basic monomers. The monomers can then be transformed back into usable polymers for the manufacturing of new plastic products, such as bottles and packaging.

This patent, filed back in November 2013 by Carbios, is the first granted patent in the U.S. applied to this innovative PET plastic recycling method. This U.S. patent protects Carbios’ proprietary innovation through 2033.

Beside the acceptance of this patent, Carbios currently holds 98 titles worldwide representing 29 patent families, six of which protect in full its proprietary method of biorecycling and five of which are related to PET degrading enzymes.

Jean-Claude Lumaret, CEO of Carbios, comments, “This patent strengthens our competitive position for the recycling of PET and it is gratifying to have the United States Patent and Trademark Office recognize the innovative nature of our proprietary technology.”

North America (United States, Canada, and Mexico) represents a significant contribution of the global PET market, producing 7% (4,6 Mt) and consuming 21% (14,6 Mt) of the world’s PET.

The U.S. acceptance of Carbios’ patent on its process for PET recycling from plastic waste using enzymatic technology further confirms the strength of its intellectual property rights and paves the way for the Company’s expansion within this market.

Carbios’ biological process for depolymerizing PET allows for the development of a cost-efficient circular economy for plastic recycling without the need for extensive sorting generally required by conventional thermo-mechanical or chemical methods.

Indeed, biorecycling of PET plastic using Carbios’ technology could lead to a much higher rate of efficient plastic recycling worldwide.