RecycELIT announces the kick off of the SOFTDEPET project: SOFT DEpolymerization of PET with its two partners IVA Essex and IMP-INSA Lyon. This collaborative project is part of the R&D BOOSTER regional program funded by the Auvergne Rhône Alpes region and BPI France. RecycELIT aims to develop its first pilot demonstrator at the end of the project.

The process developed by Recyc’ELIT makes it possible to recycle PET plastic to recover back to the starting building blocks; terephthalic acid (PTA) or its ester (DMT) and ethylene glycol, at very moderate temperature and at atmospheric pressure. The monomers thus obtained can serve to remanufacture virgin like food grade PET or intended for any other type of application in an infinite cycle.

·       RecycElit is a startup that has developed a patented eco-compatible process, the least energy consuming to date in Europe, in the field of chemical recycling of PET plastics (bottles, food trays, opaque flasks).

·       IVA is an industrial of the region which is a leader in the manufacture of insulating resins for induction coils. It will test the recycled monomers produced by this process for its own insulation resins formulation and help to scale-up the process.

IMP INSA: is a renowned academic laboratory in the field of polymers in the region which will use its synthetic and analytical know-how in the fine characterization of recycled materials but also of resynthesized polymers.