Plastic-Recycling Enzyme Discovered in Compost Heap Close to Commercialization Through German Startup

Plastic-Recycling Enzyme Discovered in Compost Heap Close to Commercialization Through German Startup

Plastic-Recycling Enzyme Discovered in Compost Heap Close to Commercialization Through German Startup Before and After: A container of PET after 24 hours of contact with the enzyme leaves only dye – Christian Sonnendecker A German bio-tech company has developed a naturally-occurring enzyme discovered in a cemetery into a near-market ready solution for recycling plastic without any loss of quality. In 2022, GNN reported on a paper published by Leipzig-based scientists who first identified the enzyme. At the time, the enzyme was subject to a small side-by-side test, and caused the polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic to decompose by a whopping 90%. Fast forward to the spring of 2025 and those same scientists have perfected the capabilities of that enzyme, called PHL7, and have founded ESTER Biotech to bring those capabilities to market. Their initial plan to be finished next year is a bathtub-sized pilot project reactor. If successful, their 2030 plan will be four 350 cubic-meter reactor…