Fusion enzyme boosts polyester textile recycling – study

PORTSMOUTH / MANCHESTER – A specially engineered enzyme can significantly speed up the breakdown of PET – the plastic used in polyester clothing – when it is processed at high concentrations similar to those used in industry, according to new research.

In a study published in the journal Bioresource Technology, scientists from the universities of Portsmouth and Manchester note that while PET – short for poly (ethylene terephthalate) – is cheap, durable, and widely used, those same qualities mean it builds up in vast quantities once thrown away.