For the first time in the United States, TotalEnergies has converted feedstocks from plastic waste into circular polymers at its polypropylene plant in La Porte, Texas.
The La Porte plant, one of the world's largest polypropylene sites, will produce sustainably certified polymers suitable for a wide range of applications, including food-grade packaging.
The petrochemical feedstock was provided by New Hope Energy's ISCC+ certified advanced recycling facility in Tyler, Texas. The feedstock was converted into monomers at the BASF TotalEnergies Petrochemicals (BTP) facility – a 60/40 joint venture between BASF and TotalEnergies based in Port Arthur, Texas – before being transformed into circular polymers at TotalEnergies' polypropylene plant in La Porte, Texas. Both the La Porte and BTP facilities received their ISCC+ certification in 2022.
TotalEnergies and New Hope Energy have also signed a multi-year agreement under which New Hope Energy will supply TotalEnergies with petrochemical feedstock made from plastics to produce recycled polymers. New Hope Energy uses a patented pyrolysis technology developed in partnership with Lummus Technology to process and convert mixed plastic waste that would otherwise be destined for landfill or incineration.
"After Europe, this first production of circular polymers from advanced recycling in the United States is a new step forward in our commitment to meeting the global market's growing demand for more innovative and sustainable plastics, as well as in our ambition to produce one million tons of circular polymers a year by 2030," said Heather Tomas, Vice President Polymers Americas.
"We are excited to partner with TotalEnergies in our mutual effort to transform plastic for a cleaner world," said Rusty Combs, Chief Executive Officer of New Hope Energy. "This supply agreement is an important step towards achieving New Hope's goal of creating pyrolysis projects at a scale that will materially improve the nation's plastic recycling performance. We are honored by the confidence TotalEnergies has placed in both our team and our robust technology."
