TotalEnergies has launched the country’s first advanced plastics recycling plant in Grandpuits, with an annual capacity of 15,000 tons, marking a new step in the transformation of its historic refinery toward a crude-oil-free model.
A new stage in the transformation of Grandpuits
In southeast Paris, the former Grandpuits refinery continues its conversion into an industrial platform focused on more sustainable energies and materials. The start of operations at this facility introduces an unprecedented activity in France: the chemical recycling of plastic waste on an industrial scale.
Thus, the project aligns with TotalEnergies’ strategy to reduce dependence on fossil raw materials and move toward solutions based on a circular economy.
Recycling and pyrolysis plant for complex waste
The plant uses pyrolysis technology developed by Plastic Energy, which allows difficult-to-recycle household plastic waste to be transformed into a synthetic oil.
This thermal process is carried out in the absence of oxygen and under controlled temperature and pressure conditions, facilitating the decomposition of materials that cannot be treated through conventional mechanical recycling.
As a result, waste that previously ended up in landfills or incinerators can be reintegrated into the value chain as raw material.
Production of plastics with quality equivalent to virgin material
The resulting synthetic oil is integrated into petrochemical processes to produce recycled plastics with properties equivalent to virgin polymers.
This allows for its use in demanding applications, including food-contact packaging and medical products, sectors where quality standards are especially rigorous.
Furthermore, this capacity positions advanced recycling as a viable alternative for expanding the use of recycled materials in high-value industries.
Strategic alliances to ensure supply
To guarantee the supply of plastic waste, TotalEnergies signed agreements with the French companies Citeo and Paprec. These alliances ensure a constant flow of raw material from the household waste management system.
In this way, an industrial ecosystem is consolidated, connecting the collection, treatment, and reuse of plastics within a circular model.
One more step in the energy transition
The company highlights that this project represents a significant advance in its roadmap toward decarbonization and energy diversification.
In the words of Valérie Goff, Senior Vice President of Renewable Energies, Fuels, and Chemicals, the initiative drives the development of a new recycling industry in France, supported by technological innovation and industrial collaboration.
With this plant, TotalEnergies reinforces its commitment to solutions that combine industrial efficiency and sustainability, in a context where plastic waste management and emissions reduction have become global priorities.
Source and photo: TotalEnergies