France-based TotalEnergies has stated that it will be adding a new unit for mechanically recycling plastic to its Grandpuits platform, which is being converted into a zero-crude site.
The announcement of the new investment is a result of previous announcements in June for projects related to the circular economy and low-carbon energy. These included the building of a unit for producing biomethane and a doubling in the production of sustainable aviation fuel. The new plastic-recycling unit should become operational in 2026, when it will begin producing valuable compounds made from up to 50% recycled plastic at a rate of 30,000 tons a year.
TotalEnergies’ President for chemicals and refining, Bernard Pinatel, stated that the investment was in line with TotalEnergies’c commitment to develop:
“…the circular economy and…contribute to the objective of reaching 1 million tons of circular polymers by 2030. By developing all these projects at the Grandpuits zero-crude platform, the Company can confirm it will maintain 250 jobs at the site, honouring the commitments that it made in September 2020.”
TotalEnergies, which also makes the Total range of lubricant and coolant fluids, launched the project to convert the Grandpuits site into a zero-crude platform in 2020 as part of its ambition to become a net-zero firm by 2050. It is expected to cost in excess of €500 million and will focus on various businesses for the future, including the generation of clean energy, the production of sustainable aviation fuel and biomethane, and mechanical and advanced recycling for the circular economy.
