New Jerrabomberra facility brings AI-driven enzymatic recycling to commercial scale
KBR, Inc. (Houston) has announced the official startup of Samsara Eco’s first circular plastics plant in Jerrabomberra, regional Australia. As a key commercialization partner, KBR is helping the Sydney-based biotech innovator scale its breakthrough EosEco enzymatic recycling technology, designed to tackle one of the world’s most pressing waste problems.
The new headquarters and plant feature cutting-edge enzyme production facilities, enabling Samsara Eco to expand its AI-powered enzyme discovery platform. These enzymes can break down mixed plastics and textiles—materials once destined for landfill—into virgin-identical raw materials ready for reuse by global brands.
At the facility’s opening ceremony, attended by Australian and New South Wales Government Ministers Chris Bowen MP, Kristy McBain MP, and Steve Whan MP, KBR executives reaffirmed the company’s commitment to advancing the circular economy.
“KBR is proud to support Samsara Eco in scaling its groundbreaking recycling technology. Together, we are commercializing plants that could become a global game-changer in the recycling of plastic waste,” said Aaron Fowler, Vice President – Infrastructure Solutions at KBR.
Currently, only 10% of plastics and less than 1% of textiles are recycled worldwide. Samsara Eco aims to rewrite those numbers, proving that the so-called “unrecyclable” can be transformed into valuable resources.
The Jerrabomberra facility, with its 20,000-ton annual capacity, also lays the groundwork for Samsara Eco’s first commercial nylon 6,6 recycling plant. KBR’s global engineering team has been instrumental in designing processes, optimizing plant layouts, and preparing the technology for international scale-up. A fleet of commercial plants is already on the horizon.
Fowler added, “This site marks a significant milestone in advancing Australia’s recycling capabilities and in shaping the global circular economy. We are excited to continue our support at Jerrabomberra and beyond.”
