Total, PureCycle Technologies form plastic recycling partnership

Total, an energy company based in Paris that produces and markets fuels, natural gas and low-carbon electricity, has signed an agreement with Chicago-based PureCycle Technologies to develop a strategic partnership in plastic recycling.

As part of the agreement, Total plans to purchase part of the output of PureCycle Technologies’ future facility in the U.S. state of Ohio and to assess the interest of developing a plant with PureCycle in Europe.

PureCycle Technologies uses patented technology to separate colour, odour, and other contaminants from plastic scrap feedstock to transform it to virgin-like polypropylene (PP). The company, which will begin construction on its first plant in Ohio this year, will produce about 48,000 tons of recycled PP per year.

“This partnership is an important new milestone for Total as it strengthens the group’s position in chemical recycling,” said Valérie Goff, senior vice president of polymers at Total. “This first partnership in the United States opens new perspectives for addressing the challenge of the circular economy and achieving our ambition of producing 30 percent recycled polymers by 2030.”

According to a news release from Total, the company plans to achieve its goal of producing 30 per cent recycled polymers by 2030 by working on all types of recycling to improve the properties and uses of recycled plastics. As part of this, Total says that it has become involved in mechanical recycling by acquiring Synova, a French leader in the production of high-performance recycled PP for the automotive industry; and that it has also partnered with Citeo, Recycling Technologies, Nestlé, and Mars to develop chemical recycling of plastics in France.

“We believe Total represents the best possible strategic partner for PureCycle as we strive to scale this very promising and transformational technology globally,” said Mike Otworth, CEO of PureCycle Technologies. “The introduction of recycled polypropylene that can be used interchangeably with virgin resin will have an enormously beneficial impact on the global plastics circular economy.”