The polymers business of oil and petrochemicals group Total (Paris / France; www.total.com) has teamed up with PS recycling technology company Polystyvert (Montréal, Québec / Canada; www.polystyvert.com/en) to work on the dissolution and purification of household post-consumer PS. Polystyvert’s PS recycling technology is based on a dissolution process which produces recyclates that can be used in a broader range of market applications than recyclates produced through mechanical recycling methods, the companies said in a joint statement. Household post-consumer plastics such as PS often contain contaminants that can make mechanical recycling difficult.

The collaboration will combine Polystyvert’s low carbon footprint technology with Total’s know-how in industrial-scale dissolution and polymerisation technologies. “In 2017, Total performed three successful test runs with post-consumer recyclates incorporated in virgin polymer via dissolution and polymerisation,” said Jean Viallefont, VP of Total Refining & Chemicals’ European polymers business. “Working with Polystyvert to tackle household post-consumer waste is the next logical step for Total.”