On February 26, 2019, news provider Plastic News Europe informed about a recently developed conversion process that aims to create 100% bio-based polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The New-York based company Anellotech is reported to have developed a thermal catalytic process that converts non-food biomass into a mixture of benzene (CAS 71-43-2), toluene (CAS 108-88-3), and xylene (CAS 1330-20-7) (known as BTX aromatics) for purification into bio-paraxylene (CAS 106-42-3), which is an important feedstock for PET production. With its partners, Anellotech now plans to create pilot samples of 100% bio-based PET beverage bottles using the process. The companies claim the BTX aromatic feedstock provided through this process is identical to their petroleum-based counterparts and see this as “an innovative and cost-competitive path to bio-aromatics.”
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Plastics News Europe (February 26, 2019). “Anellotech, French partners advance 100% bio-based PET ambitions.”
