CLERMONT-FERRAND – Carbios says it has put back the commissioning of its planned PET biorecycling plant in China by around one year. The delay marks a setback for the French biotech firm’s push to scale its enzymatic recycling technology in Asia.
The company said the facility in Haining, Zhejiang Province, is now expected to be commissioned in the first half of 2028. Carbios had previously targeted commissioning in the first quarter of 2027 under a strategic partnership with Wankai New Materials, a subsidiary of Zhink Group.
The company said the project is still moving forward, with preparatory work under way to oversee and coordinate construction of what it describes as China’s first PET biorecycling plant.
It added that work is also progressing on the validation of locally available waste streams.
However, Carbios said the nature of its enzymatic PET recycling process means additional technical work is required to adapt the technology to the specific characteristics of the Haining site.
The plant is planned with capacity to process 50,000 tonnes of PET waste per year.
Carbios said the facility would represent a key milestone in the industrialisation and deployment of its enzymatic biorecycling technology in Asia.
The delay also affects the financial arrangements linked to the partnership.
Carbios and Wankai have agreed to postpone Wankai’s subscription to a dedicated €5m capital increase in Carbios SA.
That transaction had originally been planned for the first half of 2026, but is now expected to take place by 31 December 2026, subject to administrative and regulatory approvals in China.
The update follows the definitive agreement signed by the two companies in December 2025, which established a strategic partnership for the large-scale deployment of Carbios’ PET biorecycling technology in Asia.
Under that agreement, the two companies said they would create a joint venture to construct and operate the first PET biorecycling plant in China.
Wankai was set to hold a 70 per cent majority stake in the venture, with Carbios holding the remaining 30 per cent.
The plant’s construction was estimated at €115m, to be financed 30 per cent by equity and 70 per cent by debt, with the debt guaranteed by Wankai.
At the time, Carbios said the Haining site would benefit from existing Wankai infrastructure, including equipment and waste treatment systems, reducing the investment required.
Carbios’ technology uses enzymes to break down PET waste into its original monomers, which can then be used to produce recycled PET with properties comparable to virgin material.
The company’s process is relevant to both packaging and textiles, particularly polyester-based products that are difficult to recycle mechanically.
