The plant near Paris, with an annual capacity of 15,000 tonnes, is said to be the country’s first facility for advanced plastics recycling.

The plant, operated by the international energy group at its Grandpuits site, utilises pyrolysis technology from its partner Plastic Energy, whereby hard-to-recycle plastic waste from French households is converted into synthetic oil by heating under pressure in an oxygen-free environment, TotalEnergies reports. The advanced recycling process makes it possible to recycle waste that cannot be mechanically processed and would otherwise be landfilled or incinerated. According to the information provided, the oil extracted from the plastic waste is intended to serve as a petrochemical feedstock and replace fossil fuels in manufacturing. According to TotalEnergies, the process enables the production of recycled plastics that meet the strict requirements for food contact and medical applications. TotalEnergies has secured a long-term supply of plastic waste, it says, through an agreement signed in 2023 with its French partners Citeo and Paprec.
 
Sources:

• TotalEnergies press release (19.3.2026)
• Photo: © TotalEnergies