The world’s first project to regenerate 5,000 tons of recycled terephthalic acid (rPTA) using biological enzyme methods has been officially launched in Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area

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Recently, Yuantian Biotechnology (Tianjin) Co., Ltd. held a signing ceremony for an investment cooperation memorandum with the Management Committee of Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area, marking the official launch in this development area of the world’s first project to produce 5,000 tons of recycled terephthalic acid (rPTA) using bio-enzymatic methods. 　　It is reported that the total investment in this project is around 150 million yuan, with commissioning expected by mid-2026; it will be able to process approximately 10,000 tons of waste textiles on a large scale each year. 　　It is reported that, in terms of raw materials, the bio-enzyme regeneration technique offers better compatibility with various raw materials – it can be used not only for the regeneration of PIR waste fibers but also for that of PCR blended fibers. In terms of enzyme hydrolysis efficiency, the PET-degrading enzymes developed by Yuantian Biology increase enzyme activity by 2000 times, enabling rapid degradation within 8 hours. As for product quality, the products resulting from this process (rPTA, rEG) have a quality level comparable to that of conventional products, resulting in virtually no difference when compared to petroleum-based materials. Regarding production costs, the bio-enzyme method utilizes an entirely aqueous system and operates at normal temperature and pressure, without the need for organic solvents; this leads to lower energy consumption and significantly reduced costs. 　　Once the 5,000-ton rPTA production line using biological enzyme technology is built, Yuantian Biology will consider the recycling and regeneration of post-consumer waste textiles as an important source of raw materials. This will enable the establishment of a industrial chain that connects \"waste textiles – rPTA/rEG – rbPET – recycled fibers\", thereby reducing the environmental impact caused by textile waste and facilitating the high-value, high-quality transformation of such waste textiles. The company will also go ahead with the construction of a 100,000-ton/year bio-enzymatic rPTA production line in the future.