Building Rhea's Factory: How AI-Designed Enzymes Could Finally Solve Plastic Recycling

Riaz Factory, co-founded by molecular biologist Arzu and technology expert Mert, aims to revolutionize plastic recycling through synthetic biology and AI. The company addresses the inefficiencies of traditional recycling methods, which degrade plastic quality over time due to heat-based mechanical or chemical processes. Instead, Riaz Factory uses enzymesbiological catalyststo break down plastics into their original monomer building blocks, enabling indefinite reuse without quality loss. This approach leverages the precision of biological selectivity, allowing targeted degradation of specific plastics (e.g., PET) while preserving other materials, and operates at low energy costs (65C) compared to high-heat industrial methods. The process mimics natural biological systems, using closed reactors with water, enzymes, and plastic to achieve sustainability and compatibility with existing supply chains.

Central to Riaz Factorys innovation is the integration of AI to design and optimize enzymes for industrial-scale polymer breakdown. By combining computational tools like protein language models with biological insights, the team accelerates enzyme development, moving beyond trial-and-error methods to tailor solutions for diverse plastics. Challenges include scaling lab successes to industrial conditions, ensuring enzyme stability, and addressing material-specific complexities, such as polymer degradation in mixed-waste streams. The company also explores AI-driven process automation to refine downstream operations like separation and recycling. Long-term, Riaz Factory aims to create a closed-loop system that tackles systemic plastic waste by redesigning materials for infinite reuse, supported by partnerships and pilot projects like a demo plant in California. The vision extends beyond current plastic types, emphasizing scalable, sustainable solutions through the convergence of synthetic biology and machine learning.