REPLACE, based in France, is a recycling company founded in 2019 by Laurent Villemin, an industry leader with nearly 30 years of experience in plastics and packaging where he developed an extensive knowledge of the complex plastic waste challenge. The company was founded to tackle the growing challenge of recycling multi-layer and complex plastics, materials beyond the reach of traditional recycling methods.
REPLACE has developed a patented, IPRA® technology. This single-step technology transforms complex and multi-layer plastic waste, typically rejected by conventional recycling infrastructure, into durable, fully recyclable materials.
Unlike traditional recycling, which often excludes multi-layer or contaminated plastics, REPLACE's technology accepts these hard-to-recycle streams prior to separation and transforms them into high-value industrial materials. This approach closes the loop for these complex plastics, supporting a circular economy.
Validated by Life Cycle Assessment, the process offers exceptional environmental performance, including a 96% reduction in CO₂ emissions compared to incineration and over 50% lower carbon footprint than current waste management methods. Each production line avoids 6,300 tons of CO₂ annually and achieves 99% material yield with no microplastic release. The resulting materials are used to create durable products that can be recycled again at end-of-life. The technology is modular and scalable, with small units deployable near waste sources and markets, reducing transport emissions and creating local jobs.
Laurent Villemin, Founder of REPLACE says, “Joining L’AcceleratOR is a great step for REPLACE because it allows us to scale from regional impact to global reach while co-developing circular solutions tailored for beauty packaging. L’Oréal’s expertise in complex packaging and sustainability leadership gives us the perfect platform to validate our technology at the highest standards and showcase the potential for complex plastics to become part of a circular economy.”