PET recycling, chemical recycling, Kirin Holdings, Japan Steel Works, circular economy. Polyestertime September 4, 2026 Revolutionary PET chemical recycling breakthrough delivers massive win for circular economy. Kirin Holdings Company, Limited, through its Packaging Innovation Institute, alongside The Japan Steel Works, Ltd. (JSW), has announced a major leap forward in sustainable materials technology. The companies have successfully demonstrated an industrial-scale alkaline depolymerization technique using JSW's Twin Screw Extruder TEX αIII series. This milestone moves the plastic packaging sector significantly closer to commercial-grade, continuous circular recycling for materials that standard processing methods cannot handle. Overcoming the bottlenecks of traditional plastic recycling. While mechanical recycling remains the primary method for processing used beverage bottles, it faces steep limitations. Mechanical systems generally require highly purified feedstock, mostly limited to clean drink containers. When faced with colored plastics, non-food grade containers, or mixed textile waste, mechanical methods fall short. Conventional chemical recycling methods (such as standard hydrolysis, methanolysis, and glycolysis) can break polymers down to the molecular level to create virgin-quality material. However, these traditional processes historically demand extreme temperatures, high energy consumption, and extended reaction periods. The new joint technology addresses these barriers by utilizing a mechanochemical reaction. By combining chemical agents with mechanical forces - specifically high friction and intense shearing within the twin-screw extruder - the process accelerates bond cleavage without depending solely on thermal energy. PET chemical recycling breakthrough | Metric / Parameter | Demonstration Achievement | | Depolymerization Rate | Exceeds 95% PET breakdown | | Processing Throughput | Stable operation at >= 250 kg/h | | Equipment Used | JSW Twin Screw Extruder TEX αIII Series | | Core Mechanism | Mechanochemical alkaline depolymerization | Scalable performance for commercial-grade processing. The demonstration marked the first Japanese trial of an alkaline depolymerization process using production-scale twin-screw machinery designed to simulate real factory conditions. Key achievements from the trial include: * High Yield Monomer Recovery: The process converted more than 95% of input PET into its constituent building blocks. * Industrial Throughput: Operations maintained continuous stability at processing speeds of 250 kg/h or higher. * Energy-Efficient Design: Lower reaction times and reduced heat requirements significantly diminish operational carbon footprints compared to legacy solvolysis systems. This technological foundation provides critical operational metrics for designing full-scale commercial recycling facilities. PET chemical recycling breakthrough Broader industry context and future implementation. The development comes at a critical time for global waste management strategies. While recent industry reports emphasize that chemical recycling technologies face cost challenges relative to virgin plastic production, high-yield processes exceeding 90% recovery - such as this mechanochemical approach - offer the structural efficiency required to make advanced recycling economically viable. Kirin Group plans to use this technology to advance its target of utilizing 50% recycled resin across its domestic PET bottle portfolio by 2027, as part of its Environmental Vision 2050. Moving forward, Kirin and JSW will evaluate applying this technology across broader PET supply chains, including non-food grade materials and complex waste streams, while collaborating with local governments and industry partners to achieve commercial deployment. PET chemical recycling breakthrough The detailed technical findings of the trial are scheduled for presentation at the 57th Autumn Meeting of the Society of Chemical Engineers, Japan.

Kirin and GenerativeX Transform the Future of Research and Development with AI. Aug 14, 2026, 03:00 ET Introducing a New Model for Co-Creation with Researchers TOKYO, Aug. 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - Kirin Holdings Company, Limited (Kirin Holdings) and FDE consulting firm GenerativeX Inc. (GenerativeX) have developed a new research style that incorporates AI agents directly into research activities, with the aim of enhancing researchers' creativity. The initiative was launched in 2026 in select research divisions at Kirin. Through this initiative, Kirin and GenerativeX aim to realize an "AI-native research environment" that supports the entire research process, from hypothesis generation to knowledge sharing, while staying closely aligned with researchers' thinking processes. 1. Background In recent years, advances in generative AI have expanded the use of AI into areas that have traditionally depended on researchers' advanced thinking, such as literature searches and hypothesis generation. At the same time, AI implementation in companies has often remained limited to improving operational efficiency, such as document creation and search. In research and development settings, researchers also face the issue of "fragmented thinking," in which their thought processes are repeatedly interrupted by information searches, searches for past materials, organizing hypotheses, and sharing information. This has made it difficult for researchers to focus on the creative activities that should be their primary focus. 2. Overview In this initiative, Kirin and GenerativeX have built and begun operating a research environment that combines Kirin's vision for research with GenerativeX's AI development capabilities by incorporating AI agents into the flow of research activities. Kirin is responsible for designing the research concept and applying it in research settings, while GenerativeX provides AI technologies and implements the system. The system is currently being used in select research laboratories, with future expansion across the Group also under consideration. Key Features of This Research Style * Design that incorporates AI into the research flow AI is constantly present within the flow of research activities, rather than being called upon by researchers only when needed. * Real-time support that keeps thinking uninterrupted The system provides integrated support for hypothesis generation, information searches, brainstorming, documentation, and knowledge sharing. * A researcher-centered design philosophy AI functions not as a replacement for researchers, but as a collaborative partner that helps bring out their creativity. * From individual knowledge to co-created organizational knowledge Hypotheses, discussions, and exploration histories are accumulated and made available for use across the organization. Development Process The system has been developed in an agile manner while incorporating feedback from researchers. It has been designed by aligning the functions that researchers actually want to use with the possibilities offered by AI technologies. Researchers involved in the development process have recognized the system as a tool suited to their own research activities. Another key feature of this initiative is that AI is being used not merely as a tool for improving operational efficiency, but as a means of supporting the intellectual and creative activity of research itself. The initiative is expected to expand the potential for exploring new hypotheses, promote cross-disciplinary integration, and improve the quality of research. 3. Future Developments Going forward, Kirin and GenerativeX will further enhance the system's functions to better understand each researcher's expertise and research themes, detect signs of emerging issues, propose hypotheses, and promote collaboration among researchers. In the future, the companies aim to create an environment in which AI naturally exists as an integral part of research, becoming a natural and seamless part of the research environment without researchers having to consciously think about using it. 4. About GenerativeX Inc. GenerativeX Inc. is a Forward Deployed Engineer (FDE) consulting firm established in 2023. The company specializes in supporting business transformation for enterprises through the use of AI agents, providing services to major clients in Japan and overseas across industries such as finance, pharmaceuticals, and manufacturing. Headquartered in Marunouchi, Tokyo, GenerativeX also has offices in San Francisco and New York, and is expanding its business globally. The Kirin Group will steadily advance the two pillars of digital utilization set out in "KIRIN Digital Vision 2035"*: "eliminating work that people do not need to do" through productivity improvements, and "accelerating work that creates value together with people" through value creation. Through manufacturing that looks to nature and people, the Kirin Group will bring new joy in "food and health" to more people and contribute to the realization of a fulfilling society. Press Contacts * Kirin Holdings Company, Limited www.kirinholdings.com/en/ Corporate Communication Department Nakano Central Park South, 4-10-2 Nakano, Nakano-ku, Tokyo Media Contact form https://faq.kirin.co.jp/form/kh_10_en.html TEL: +81-3-6837-7028 * GenerativeX Inc. https://gen-x.co.jp/ 27F Marunouchi Building, 2-4-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo TEL: +81-50-1807-2433 About Kirin Holdings Kirin Holdings Company, Limited is a global company operating across three core business domains spanning Alcoholic Beverages, Non-alcoholic Beverages & Health Science, and Pharmaceuticals. The company traces its roots to Japan Brewery, established in 1885, which later became Kirin Brewery in 1907. Since then, Kirin has expanded its business operations by leveraging fermentation and biotechnology as core strengths. The company entered the pharmaceutical field in the 1980s, which has since grown into a global business. In 2007, the company transitioned to a pure holding company structure as Kirin Holdings, and it is now strengthening its Non-alcoholic Beverages & Health Science domain. Under its long-term vision "Innovate2035!", the Kirin Group is focused on creating value that encourages behavioral change among consumers and patients, creating new lifestyle habits in the areas of food and health. With a unique business portfolio spanning Alcoholic Beverages, Non-alcoholic Beverages & Health Science, and Pharmaceuticals, the Group will further expand group-wide initiatives that support both mental and physical well-being. The Kirin Group will continue to advance innovation through the combined strength of its people and technology, creating both social and economic value as a global leader in CSV*, while pursuing sustainable, long-term growth in corporate value. *Creating Shared Value: combined added value for consumers as well as for society at large. SOURCE GenerativeX