TotalEnergies is committed to the creation of a circular plastic economy and is a member of the Alliance to End Plastic Waste, The Recycling Partnership, The PP Coalition and The Association of Plastic Recyclers. In October 2022, TotalEnergies unveiled a new product range – RE:clic, low-carbon polymers that meet the requirements of the circular plastic economy. Our ambition is to produce 1 million tons of circular polymers by 2030.
TotalEnergies has a long history of working with customers to design solutions for polymer applications. This tradition continues with the development of our RE:use polypropylene hybrids, combining mechanically-recycled polypropylene with TotalEnergies virgin polypropylene to achieve improved properties and consistency. High-quality recyclate is key to the success of the RE:use polypropylene portfolio. We have established strong relationships with recyclers and are constantly surveying the rapidly evolving market to source the best materials.
The US RE:use polypropylene portfolio was developed at our La Porte Technology Center in Texas. Over the last two years, our application and analytical laboratories have compounded and tested over 200 formulations, many of these being collaborative projects with our customers. In addition to the customer-specific formulations, TotalEnergies is actively marketing 10 RE:use polypropylene hybrid grades with recycled content between 15% and 50%, various melt flows and mechanical properties for film, fiber, injection molding or thermoformed sheet applications. Our hybrids come in a uniform color with consistent properties and quality control standards.
To achieve our ambition and comply with new U.S. regulations, we need to expand our RE:use polypropylene portfolio beyond just durable products. Our product stewardship team was engaged very early in this process to ensure that we could provide regulatory support for our RE:use polypropylene hybrids as we do for our virgin resins. The value of RE:use polypropylene extends beyond the ease of a single pellet solution, they come with the commercial, technical and regulatory support needed to navigate a quickly-evolving market.
For food contact applications there was a perception advanced recycling would be the preferred or only solution. While TotalEnergies RE:clic product range does include RE:build polymers, produced through an advanced recycling process that converts hard-to-recycle plastic waste into circular feedstock, our RE:use polypropylene range is fit for many food contact applications and is available now.
In North America, the U.S. FDA is recognizing improved recycling technologies including strict limitations on source control and sorting measures are generating recycle raw materials appropriate for food-contact applications; however, understanding the limitations of the FDA Letter of No Objection (LNO or NOL) and its conditions of use is key to identifying the appropriate material for a given application.
At TotalEnergies, we understand this challenge and are making it the focal point of our RE:use polypropylene hybrids, offering solutions that come with the proper regulatory information for qualification in their targeted applications. TotalEnergies RE:use polypropylene hybrids are carefully vetted through internal and third party testing to ensure the application need and performance our customers require are met.
While many of our grades are already cleared for some FDA uses, we are currently working on expanding the conditions of use, with a minimum requirement of C through H for our 10 marketed products (see table above). Stay tuned for our updated portfolio!
Beyond food contact we are working on other regulatory requirements including Substance of Very High Concern (SVHC), REACH, phthalates, and heavy metals.
The US RE:use range of products are third-party certified for recycled content. We are proud to work with GreenCircle Certified and have seven of our RE:use materials certified for content and will continue to add certifications to our portfolio. With GreenCircle Certification, customers can confidently purchase circular polymers with recycled content. TotalEnergies — GreenCircle Certified
We are doing the hard work, so you don’t have to. Our innovative hybrids offer lot-to-lot consistency in processing, mechanical properties and color. They come with regulatory certifications, including proper food contact statements, and are third party certified. Finally, they are developed in-house and supported by the same team of experts as all of our polymer products.
If you are interested in learning more about the current RE:use polypropylene portfolio or want to work with our team on a customized solution, please get in touch with your existing TotalEnergies representative or contact us via email at [email protected].
Come visit our website: Hybrid Polypropylene Grades in North America | TotalEnergies in the U.S.
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