TotalEnergies Launches France’s First Advanced Plastics Recycling Plant at Grandpuits

TotalEnergies has started production at what it describes as France’s first advanced plastics recycling facility, located at its Grandpuits site southeast of Paris, according to a company announcement. The plant has an annual processing capacity of 15,000 tonnes and forms part of the company’s plan to convert the former refinery into a zero-crude platform focused on low-carbon and circular activities.

The recycling unit is one element of a broader transformation project at Grandpuits, where traditional crude oil refining is being phased out. The facility is designed to process hard-to-recycle plastic waste sourced from households in France, with feedstock supply supported by agreements signed in 2023 with Citeo and Paprec.

Technology for the plant has been provided by Plastic Energy. The process relies on pyrolysis, in which plastic waste is heated in the absence of oxygen to produce a synthetic oil. This approach allows materials to be recovered from mixed or contaminated waste streams that are not suitable for conventional mechanical recycling.

That synthetic oil is then used as a feedstock in petrochemical production, partially replacing fossil-based inputs. The resulting materials can be converted into plastics with properties comparable to virgin polymers, enabling their use in applications that require high-performance standards, including food-grade packaging and certain medical products.

Advanced recycling technologies such as pyrolysis are increasingly being deployed alongside mechanical recycling, particularly for complex waste streams. Industry participants see these processes as a way to expand overall recycling capacity while maintaining material quality for demanding applications.

The Grandpuits project also reflects a wider shift within the refining and chemicals sector. Companies are repurposing existing industrial assets to integrate circular economy solutions, aiming to reduce emissions while generating value from waste materials.

For TotalEnergies, the facility represents another step in diversifying beyond traditional energy activities. The group has been expanding its portfolio to include renewable fuels, hydrogen, and circular materials as part of its long-term transition strategy.

The development comes as policymakers across Europe push for higher recycling rates and reduced reliance on landfill and incineration. As demand for recycled content increases, advanced recycling capacity is expected to play a growing role in supporting circular plastics systems.

With operations now underway, the Grandpuits unit is expected to contribute to scaling advanced recycling in France and support broader efforts to build a more circular plastics value chain.

Source: TotalEnergies

SUNSHINE Spotlight: TotalEnergies’ Grandpuits plant signals the growing role of advanced recycling in converting hard-to-recycle plastics into high-quality feedstocks for circular petrochemical production.