Samsara Eco to build new plastics recycling plant

KBR and Samsara Eco are set to design what is said to be a ‘first-of-its-kind’ plastics and textile enzymatic recycling plant, due for completion in early 2028.

Samsara Eco’s enzymatic recycling technology aims to create a continuous recycling loop for some of the most common types of plastic and synthetic fibre — materials that have traditionally been difficult or impossible to recycle.

Powered by an AI platform, the company’s patented enzymes break down plastic to its original building blocks (monomers), with the aim of allowing plastics to be continuously remanufactured into new products without degradation in quality and with a low carbon footprint.

Unlike other recycling methods, Samsara Eco’s technology has demonstrated the recycling of difficult plastics, including nylon 6,6 and mixed fibres, as well as coloured and dyed fabric blends. This technology is expected to be critical towards achieving the goal of creating a circular loop for all plastics recycling, helping companies utilise resources and divert waste otherwise destined for landfills.

KBR will perform a pre-FEED (front-end engineering design) of the project by the end of Q2 2025. The company’s technical and commercial experts will then deliver a FEED engineering package for the process design to build a 20,000 metric tons per year commercial facility for nylon 6,6.

“KBR is uniquely equipped to deliver world-class solutions that help our customers bring sustainable technology to market, and we are thrilled to support Samsara Eco on this unique opportunity,” said Jay Ibrahim, President, KBR Sustainable Technology Solutions. “With this award, KBR continues to solidify our commitment to sustainability and technological innovation.”

Paul Riley, founder and CEO of Samsara Eco, said, “We are charging full speed ahead to deliver our first-of-a-kind plant to fuel a circular economy and support our brand partners’ ambition to create more circular products from low-carbon recycled materials. KBR brings unmatched engineering expertise. This will ensure we can design and build our facility with speed and precision. We’re proud to have KBR in our corner, helping bring our technology to industrial scale.”

Samsara Eco is already working with brands including lululemon to swap virgin materials for recycled materials. Last year, it debuted what is said to be the world’s first enzymatically recycled nylon 6,6 product. It also launched the first product made from enzymatically recycled polyester, creating lululemon’s limited edition Packable Anorak jacket.

Image caption: Paul Riley, founder and CEO of Samsara Eco, with the lululemon Packable Anorak jackets. Image: Supplied.