PET Recycling: Biochemists found start-up

The enzyme PHL7 is making headlines – discovered in a compost heap at Leipzig’s Südfriedhof cemetery, it breaks down PET, such as plastic fruit trays from the supermarket, by more than 90 per cent in a record time of just 16 hours. That is twice as fast as previously known enzymes. This biological PET recycling method helps conserve resources, especially fossil fuels and environmentally harmful energy sources. Drawing on these research findings – which have also been published in academic journals – biochemists Dr Christian Sonnendecker and Dr Ronny Frank from Leipzig University came up with a business idea and recently founded the company ESTER Biotech.