Wankai Strengthens Partnership with Carbios in France to Explore a New Era of Plastic Recycling

In 2024, Wankai's controlling shareholder, Zhink Group, signed a cooperation agreement with France-based Carbios, marking the start of a strategic partnership to build China's first biorecycling facility utilizing Carbios'enzymatic depolymerization technology—opening a new pathway for innovative plastic recycling solutions.

In 2025, favorable macro policies and a rapidly evolving regulatory environment have created unprecedented opportunities for the recycling industry. National initiatives, from notices issued by the National Development and Reform Commission and Ministry of Finance to local programs supporting resource recycling systems, reflect strong government support for sustainable recycling practices. Against this backdrop, Wankai has further expanded its commitment to recycling operations.

On July 21, led by Chairman Mr. Shen Zhigang, a Wankai delegation visited France to deepen collaboration with Carbios. The team conducted an in-depth review of Carbios'advanced research facilities, including enzyme screening and optimization laboratories, pilot-scale bioreactor facilities, product quality testing centers, and new enzyme R&D pipelines. These visits showcased Carbios'cutting-edge technologies and rigorous scientific approach, further strengthening Wankai's confidence in their collaboration.

The trip reaffirmed the unique advantages of enzymatic biorecycling technology. Unlike traditional mechanical recycling, which often leads to material degradation and limited recycling cycles—especially for colored, multilayer, or textile PET waste—Carbios'technology works under mild conditions without solvents, breaking down complex PET waste into its fundamental monomers: purified terephthalic acid (PTA) and monoethylene glycol (MEG). This approach not only enables the recycling of difficult-to-process PET waste streams but also achieves up to a 90% reduction in CO₂ emissions compared to virgin plastic production, representing a significant step forward in sustainability and carbon reduction.

Combining Wankai's strong industry experience and production capacity with Carbios' innovative enzymatic depolymerization process will unlock new value in post-consumer PET recycling. Both parties agreed to leverage their respective strengths to advance the industrial-scale application of biorecycling technologies and contribute to the global transition toward circular and low-carbon plastics.

Moving forward, Wankai and Carbios will continue detailed discussions to accelerate project implementation and jointly promote sustainable PET recycling solutions—supporting global plastic circularity and carbon-neutrality goals.