TotalEnergies has become the sole owner of the Grandpuits advanced plastics recycling plant in Seine-et-Marne, France, following an agreement to acquire Plastic Energy’s remaining 35% interest in the facility. TotalEnergies previously held a 65% stake in the plant. The acquisition of the remaining share follows the restructuring of Plastic Energy’s shareholding and gives TotalEnergies full ownership of the advanced recycling facility.
The Grandpuits plant began production in March 2026 and has an annual capacity to process 15,000 tonnes of plastic waste. The facility is part of TotalEnergies’ efforts to develop circular solutions for plastic waste that cannot be processed through conventional mechanical recycling methods. The plant uses pyrolysis technology to convert hard-to-recycle plastic waste into synthetic oil. The process involves heating plastic waste at high temperatures in an oxygen-free environment, producing a circular petrochemical feedstock that can be used as an alternative to fossil-based raw materials.
The facility processes plastic waste collected from French households, including materials from yellow recycling bins that may otherwise be sent to landfill or incineration because they are difficult to recycle mechanically. The synthetic oil produced at Grandpuits can be used in the production of recycled plastics designed to meet demanding quality requirements. These include applications involving food contact and medical products, where material quality and safety standards are particularly stringent.
The plant represents an important part of the developing advanced plastics recycling value chain in France. By processing waste streams that are not suitable for traditional recycling, the facility aims to increase the range of plastics that can be returned to the manufacturing cycle.
TotalEnergies has also taken steps to secure a long-term supply of feedstock for the Grandpuits facility. In 2023, the company signed an agreement with French partners Citeo and Paprec to support the supply of plastic waste to the plant. Citeo is involved in the management and development of household packaging and paper recycling systems in France, while Paprec operates in waste collection, sorting and recycling. The partnerships are intended to provide the facility with access to the plastic waste required for its operations.
With full ownership of the Grandpuits plant, TotalEnergies will oversee the facility’s operations and its role in the company’s circular economy activities. The plant combines waste management and petrochemical processing to create a new route for recovering value from plastic waste. The Grandpuits facility is designed to support the development of circular feedstocks while reducing reliance on virgin fossil-based materials in plastics production. Its operations also demonstrate the potential of advanced recycling technologies to complement mechanical recycling and address waste streams that remain difficult to process through existing methods
