Enzymatic plastic recycler Samsara Eco opens new Jerrabomberra plant

Recycling technology company Samsara Eco has opened a new factory, located in southeastern NSW, going from “bench research through to pilot, demonstration, and now our first plant” in four years.

In a statement on Wednesday, the company said the new headquarters at Jerrabomberra houses its proprietary processing technology, branded EosEco. Capacity at the new plant was not shared, but the company said the opening would “exponentially increase” its ability to produce recycled materials such as recycled nylon 6,6 and polyester.   

It added that expanded enzyme production facilities were also onsite, allowing it to expand its “proprietary AI-powered enzyme discovery and development platform” to recycle “a broader range of plastics.” 

Samsara is commercialising a process using engineered enzymes to turn end-of-life polymers into monomers and “virgin-identical, low-carbon circular materials”. 

“In just four years, we’ve scaled from bench research through to pilot, demonstration, and now our first plant. This is a true tipping point for circularity, shifting circular materials from early-stage innovation to mainstream reality,” said founder and CEO Paul Riley (pictured.)

“Brand demand and supportive new regulations are helping to clear the path forward. Our new facility will help brands deliver circularity with the capacity to produce the equivalent of hundreds of thousands of garments annually.” 

Samsara was launched in 2021 as a partnership between Main Sequence and Australian National University. It completed a $56 million Series A round in 2022 and a further raise of $100 million in June last year.

It intends to use the new site as “a runway” for its first nylon 6,6 commercial plant, with a 20,000 tonne capacity, which is being designed with engineering partner KBR and is planned to open in Asia in 2028. 

The newly-opened Jerrabomberra site will also make materials to feature in upcoming products for brands including lululemon and in pilot programs and trials, and host research with organisations including The LYCRA Company and Deakin University’s Recycling and Clean Energy Commercialisation Hub.

Picture: supplied

Further reading

Deakin, Samsara Eco collaboration aims to up speed, scale and precision for plastic and textile recycling

Samsara Eco, lululemon announce ten-year offtake agreement on recycled nylon, polyester

Samsara Eco grows leadership team with US chemical industry veterans

Samsara Eco gets first strategic investor in SE Asia

Samsara Eco raises $100m to recycle plastics