Global plastic use is expected to double in 2040, with most of the plastic sent to landfills and only 13 percent recycled. According to CIEL (Center for International Environmental Law), the production and incineration of plastics could produce 2,8 gigatons of carbon dioxide every year in 2050.
To help end global plastic pollution, Australian environmental technology startup samsara echo has developed an enzyme-based technology, which breaks down plastics (polymers) into their molecular building blocks (monomers) that can be used to recreate new plastic over and over again or recycled into more valuable products, the founder said. and CEO of Samsara Eco Paul Riley.
Reiley said that the technology of Samsara fleet ensures that plastics no longer need to be made from fossil fuels or plants (both of which have a significant environmental impact) and that they will not end up in landfills or in our oceans.
“The motivation behind this work comes from our concern for the environment, especially in relation to carbon emissions and plastic waste, combined with our love for enzyme-based engineering: being able to apply their skills in solving a global problem, change the system and create a truly circular economy,” said Riley.
Samsara fleet has raised 6 million to build its first recycling plant by the end of this year, with full-scale production to start in 2023.
Investors include a new investor the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC), and existing W23, the venture capital arm of the Sydney-based supermarket giant Woolworth y Main sequence.
“The process will save approximately 3 tons of carbon emissions for every ton of plastic recycled by the process,” said the founder.
There are other companies around the world that use enzymes to break down plastic, but Samsara fleet claims it uses a different process and enzymes. Start-up can deliver complete depolymerization of plastic in one hour, while most other enzymatic processes take more than 12 hours.
“The current approach to recycling is simply inefficient and ill-equipped to handle the plastic pollution crisis we are facing today. Samsara fleet is that solution. Instead of extracting fossil fuels to create new plastics or relying on current recycling methods that result in only nine percent actually being recycled, we can take the plastic that already exists and recycle it endlessly.
Unlike other alternative recycling solutions, the process of Samsara fleet it is performed at room temperature and is truly carbon neutral, operating it sustainably.
Samsara fleet is seeking further fundraising, with a target of approximately $50 million later this year from Australian and international investors for its first commercial-scale production to recycle 20,000 tonnes of waste per year.
Your potential customers include retailers, FMCG brands, recycling companies, and anyone who works with plastic.
It has partnered with the Woolworths Group, which has committed to converting the first 5.000 tonnes of plastic Samsara fleet recycled into packaging for its own branded products, aiming to be in stock by the end of this year. Additionally, it also had a partnership with Tennis Australia to recycle 5,000 plastic bottles from the Australian Open.
The startup, launched in 2021, has a team of 13 people, mainly scientists and engineers, and researchers from the Australian National University in Canberra.
"Our long-term vision is to expand our technological capabilities to endlessly recycle other petroleum-based plastic products, such as clothing made from polyester and nylon, so that we never again use fossil fuels to create new plastic," Riley said.
