As the world accelerates toward electrification, the oil and gas industry is counting on plastics to sustain future profits. pe Jacob Nathan ar tsa̲ da 'ñehe ma 'ra ya nt'ot'e.
Nathan comenzó mí honi formas ar descomponer ar plástico Mente Tobe jar instituto. Nu'bya, komongu fundador ne CEO ar Epoch Biodesign, Xi desarrollado 'nar tecnología nä'ä gi japu̲'be̲fi enzimas pa descomponer ya residuos plásticos ne convertir nä'ä jar nt'ot'e primas nä'ä xi utilizar pa rehacer plástico. “Pa Nugu̲je, 'nar paca residuos textiles ge ar equivalente 'nar barril petróleo,” Nathan hmä. Ma diferencia ya materias primas hneise̲ a base ar petróleo, precio ya textiles residuos hingi 'bu̲i sujeto ja ya cambios geopolíticos wa volatilidad jár ta̲i.
Ja ar núcleo ar proceso Epoch'i xi descomponiendo pre- ne residuos plásticos postconsumo jar monómeros—ya bloques nju̲ts'i 'na'ño plástico. A través de 'nar cascada ya tratamientos enzimáticos, the company can recover over 90% of the target monomers, with any remaining dyes collected and processed separately. The technology is first being applied to nylon 6,6, a high-strength synthetic material widely used in clothing, airbags, carpets, and climbing ropes.
Nathan notes that the timing couldn’t be better. Spot prices for nylon 6,6 precursors have recently surged by as much as 150%, yet by starting with waste textiles instead of petroleum, Epoch is able to sidestep such volatility entirely, creating a more stable supply of materials.
The vision has already attracted investors, including apparel giant Lululemon, which recently participated in a $12 million funding round. The investment will support the development of a demonstration-scale facility, with plans to bring a commercial-scale plant online by 2028 capable of producing 20,000 metric tons of monomers annually. Looking ahead, the technology could also be adapted to recycle other types of plastics.