10181397EnzyLoop: Biological Recycling of Mixed Plastic Waste through Enzyme-Driven DepolymerisationClosedCollaborative R&DInnovate UK**EnzyLoop** explores an environmentally friendly approach to plastic recycling that could potentially replace high-temperature industrial chemistry with biological processes. This **two-month feasibility study** investigates how engineered enzymes might convert plastic waste into valuable chemical building blocks, supporting the UK's transition toward circular and net-zero manufacturing. Each year, the UK uses approximately **5 million tonnes of plastic**, nearly half of which is packaging alone (UK Parliament Hansard, 2021). The UK's limited recycling capacity means only a small fraction is recycled domestically, with much remaining unrecyclable through current technologies (House of Commons Library briefing; refficiency.org). Traditional mechanical recycling degrades material quality and struggles with contaminated or mixed streams. Chemical recycling demands extreme temperatures often exceeding 400°C, harsh solvents, and intensive energy consumption. **EnzyLoop explores a biological alternative** working through accelerated decomposition processes, potentially recovering high-purity materials using less energy at lower environmental cost. BELLACET LTD, supported by subcontractor **SAFE Technologia Ltd**, will assess whether specialised enzymes can break down **polyethylene terephthalate (PET)** found in bottles and packaging, with exploratory computational modelling for polyamides and polyurethanes. SAFE Technologia Ltd will provide specialist support in enzyme analytics and data interpretation, assisting with analysis of reaction profiles from published research and performing independent cross-checks of available data. The team will employ **simulation tools and literature review** to explore potentially favourable reaction conditions, examining how recovered monomers might enable circular production cycles. The study will utilise **open-source datasets and synthetic data** for preliminary assessments within feasibility constraints. According to research on biocatalytic recycling (Zimmermann, 2025; RSC Publishing), sustainable biological approaches using enzymes are emerging as promising alternatives. The project explores whether such approaches could be viable in UK contexts. Anticipated benefits span environmental, economic, and social dimensions. Based on the synthesis of existing literature (Uusitalo et al., 2024), enzymatic approaches are estimated to offer **tentatively lower energy and greenhouse gas impacts;** potentially around **40-50% reduction in emissions** and **50-60% decrease in energy consumption** compared with conventional chemical recycling. It may provide pathways for converting difficult-to-recycle mixed plastic waste into reusable materials, potentially reducing UK reliance on imported petrochemical feedstocks and strengthening supply chain resilience. The project supports the objectives of the **Innovate UK Materials and Manufacturing Vision 2050**, contributing exploratory insights toward a cleaner, more resource-efficient future for British industry. **All findings will remain exploratory**, establishing whether enzyme-driven recycling warrants further investigation and future development beyond this initial feasibility assessment.