Coca-Cola European Partners (CCEP) will invest in CuRe Technology, a Dutch startup that can convert lower grade PET into virgin quality recycled PET (rPET) through an innovative partial depolymerisation process, called “polyester rejuvenation” technology. This funding is part of Coca-Cola’s global objective to use 100% rPET for its plastic bottles in the next decade.
CuRe Technology has already had a pilot plant that utilises the “polyester rejuvenation” technology. The funding will help the startup to scale up the project into commercial readiness. Once the technology is commercialised, CuRe Technology will supply CCEP with the majority of the rPET output from its CuRe-licensed greenfield facility.
The partial depolymerisation process will enable CuRe to convert opaque food-grade PET, which is typically difficult to recycle, into high-quality rPET. The rPET output can be used to produce packaging for food and drink beverages in an integrated process on the same complex. The process shortens the polymer chains just enough to remove many impurities and the colour. CuRe said the method emits less CO2 because it is less energy-intensive compared to full depolymerisation.
CuRe said that after the new plant is operational, it will support CCEP’s transition to a circular economy for PET packaging and help it to achieve an ambition to completely remove virgin crude-based PET from its bottles by the next decade. This will remove more than 200,000 tons/year of virgin PET from CCEP’s packaging portfolio.
