TotalEnergies ignites France’s first advanced plastic recycling plant in Grandpuits zero-crude shift

FRANCE – TotalEnergies has started operations at France’s first advanced plastic recycling plant, a 15,000-tonne-per-year facility at its Grandpuits site near Paris that uses pyrolysis technology to transform hard-to-recycle household waste into virgin-quality feedstock for food and medical packaging.

The plant, named TotalEnergies Plastic Energy Advanced Recycling (TEPEAR), marks a critical milestone in converting the former refinery into a “zero-crude” industrial platform.

Using Plastic Energy’s TAC™ technology, the facility heats plastic waste in an oxygen-free environment, a process called pyrolysis, to produce TACOIL™, a synthetic alternative to fossil-based feedstocks.

Valérie Goff, Senior Vice President at TotalEnergies, noted that alongside partners Plastic Energy, Citeo, and Paprec, the company is supporting the emergence of a new French plastic recycling activity.

The Numbers Behind the Innovation

The plant’s launch arrives as the post-consumer recycled plastics market accelerates globally.

Industry analysts project the market will surge from US$13.85 billion in 2025 to approximately US$38.10 billion by 2035, expanding at a robust 10.65 percent CAGR.

This growth is driven by regulatory pressure, including the EU’s mandate requiring PET bottles to contain at least 25 percent recycled content by 2025, rising to 30 percent by 2030.

Currently, less than 30 percent of Europe’s roughly 32 million tonnes of annual plastic waste is recycled.

The Grandpuits facility targets the hard-to-recycle waste that would otherwise be landfilled or incinerated, addressing a critical bottleneck in the circular economy.

How Pyrolysis Changes the Game

This isn’t your grandfather’s recycling. While mechanical methods grind and remelt clean plastics, pyrolysis breaks down mixed and contaminated waste at the molecular level, producing a liquid hydrocarbon that feeds directly into existing petrochemical infrastructure.

The result? Recycled plastics suitable for demanding applications including food-contact packaging and medical-grade materials, sectors where safety requirements have historically limited recycled content.

Ian Temperton, CEO of Plastic Energy, described the start-up as an important milestone for advanced recycling in Europe, highlighting the strength of the company’s patented technology and the dedication of the team.

Together, the partners have demonstrated what is possible when leading companies combine capabilities to create scalable, sustainable solutions for the future of plastics.

From Waste to Value: The Supply Chain Story

To ensure long-term operations, TotalEnergies secured agreements in 2023 with French recycling leaders Citeo and Paprec, guaranteeing access to post-consumer plastic waste streams from French households.

The facility processes waste that cannot be recycled mechanically, converting it into synthetic oil that serves as a drop-in replacement for fossil-based naphtha in petrochemical production.

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