Sulzer and TripleW transform food waste to PLA Bioplastic at scale

Sulzer collaborates with TripleW, a pioneer in circular chemistry, to launch the world’s first PLA (polylactic acid) bioplastic made entirely from food waste. With TripleW valorizing the food waste streams, Sulzer’s technology transforms the lactic acid into PLA bioplastic at scale, enabling the transition from an innovative pilot project to full industrial production. Supported by the CIRCLE consortium, the global breakthrough marks a significant step forward in sustainable manufacturing for a circular economy.

PLA bioplastics are already used in a wide range of sectors but can now be made from PLA derived entirely from food waste, reducing reliance on fossil-based feedstocks and helping to combat food waste. The new PLA is produced from food industry side streams — including bakery rejects and expired goods — transforming underutilized waste into high-performance bioplastics.

“Supporting TripleW in the validation and scale-up of their lactic acid produced from food waste into PLA represents a unique milestone in PLA development history. We believe that the industry will benefit greatly from utilizing various feedstocks for biopolymers and we look forward to the implementation of this process at greater scale,” says Virginie Bellière-Baca, Global Head Technology & Innovation at Sulzer.

“This launch is a critical step towards increased bioplastic adoption in consumer branded products, and TripleW is excited to supply the materials needed for the transition to a truly circular economy,” said Tal Shapira, CEO of TripleW. “We are proud of our collaboration with Sulzer demonstrating the growth of highly scalable circular materials together with great partners.”

Funded by the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU), the CIRCLE consortium aims to establish a fully integrated value chain for bio-based materials sourced from food waste by bringing industry partners together. With Sulzer’s process expertise contributing to its technical and commercial success, the revolutionary PLA bioplastic from food waste can now be used effectively by consortium partners and global brands to replace fossil-based materials in textiles, packaging and consumer goods.

Source

Sulzer, press release, 2025-09-09.

Supplier

Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU)
Sulzer Chemtech Ltd.
TripleW

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