TotalEnergies is now filling premium lubricants in bottles made from 50 per cent recycled polyethylene.

 

The material is reportedly produced by the company's own polymer department. Following a pilot trial launched in 2021 with the product bottles for premium lubricants, TotalEnergies Lubrifiants says it is now applying the tested process of using 50 per cent PCR high-density polyethylene (HDPE) on a larger scale. According to TotalEnergies, all bottles in the premium range produced in France and Belgium will be made primarily from TotalEnergies rPE6314, a ready-to-use polyethylene compound, from September 2023. The bottles could be recognised by their platinum colour. Produced at the TotalEnergies plant in Antwerp, rHDPE, which is part of the company's RE:clic polymer range, is said to have been developed for blow moulding applications and combines "carefully selected recycled polyethylene from post-consumer waste with a high performance virgin booster". The high quality and consistency of the polymer would allow for easy processing on existing industrial equipment. The resulting bottle had the same design, shape and weight as the alternatives made from 100 per cent fossil-based raw materials, but has a significantly lower carbon footprint, according to TotalEnergies. Jean Parizot, General Manager Inland Markets at TotalEnergies Lubrifiants, explains: "Our goal is for all small packaging produced in France and Belgium to consist of 50 per cent recycled packaging by 2030 in order to reduce the carbon footprint of our production and contribute to a circular economy." Olivier Greiner, Vice President, Polymers Europe & Orient at TotalEnergies, adds: "This packaging development, launched in the EU, is the result of our internal efforts to tackle the challenge of used plastics. It demonstrates our shared commitment as a company to promoting the circular economy and supports our goal of reaching one million tonnes of recyclable polymers by 2030."
 
Sources:

• TotalEnergies press release (Nov. 15, 2023)
• packagingeurope.com (Nov. 16, 2023)
• Photo: © TotalEnergies