September 4, 2026 10:19

Almost two years after its launch, the ReBioCycle research project has demonstrated that PLA can be recovered in a closed loop from a mixed plastic waste stream.
The material can then undergo chemical recycling through depolymerisation, producing lactic acid that can subsequently be converted into new biopolymer.

The sorting process was successfully carried out at pilot scale in an operational environment. The sorted PLA-based material was then depolymerised using Torwash’s hydrolysis technology.

In the final stage of the loop, TotalEnergies Corbion demonstrated that the recovered lactic acid can be repolymerised into recycled PLA with properties equivalent to those of virgin material.

“This is about making circularity real for industry,” commented project coordinator Kevin O’Connor. “We’ve connected the full value chain in a way that supports both regulatory compliance and the transition away from fossil-based to bio-based materials.”

According to the project partners, the technologies developed can be integrated into existing infrastructure, lowering barriers to adoption while supporting broader European objectives under the Green Deal and the Bioeconomy Strategy.

However, no data have been provided on the industrial costs of the process or its economic competitiveness.

ReBioCycle is continuing its work, with the consortium now focusing on industrialising the process and developing applications for recycled PLA.

Launched in 2024, the project is coordinated by University College Dublin and the BiOrbic Bioeconomy SFI Research Centre. Its 20 participants also include major bioplastics producers such as TotalEnergies Corbion, Novamont, Corbion, Sulapac and Kaneka.

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