Total and Polystyvert join forces on the recycling of household post-consumer polystyrene

BRUSSELS and MONTREAL, May 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Polymers Business unit of Total S.A. (NYSE:TOT) and Polystyvert, a Montreal-based clean technology startup with an innovative method for polystyrene recycling, today announced the signing of an agreement to work together on the dissolution and purification of household post-consumer polystyrene.

The combination of Polystyvert's innovative technology and Total's know-how in industrial-scale dissolution and polymerization technologies should generate high-quality recyclates addressing a broad range of polystyrene market requirements.

Polystyvert has developed an innovative low-carbon-footprint method for recycling polystyrene that is based on a dissolution process. This process produces recyclates which can be used in a broader range of market applications than recyclates produced through mechanical recycling methods. Household post-consumer plastics such as polystyrene often contain contaminants that make mechanical recycling difficult or not practical.

"We are very pleased to collaborate with Polystyvert on this ambitious and exciting journey," said Jean Viallefont, VP Polymers Europe, Total Refining & Chemicals. "In 2017, Total performed three successful test runs with post-consumer recyclates incorporated in virgin polymer via dissolution and polymerization. Working with Polystyvert to tackle household post-consumer waste is the next logical step for Total."

''We are excited to join forces with Total on the recycling of polystyrene," stated Solenne Brouard, Founder and CEO, Polystyvert Inc. "Collaborating with Total on household waste will accelerate the industrial development of our technology for global markets and demonstrate its suitability to address any type of polystyrene stream."

About Total

Total is a global integrated energy producer and provider, a leading international oil and gas company and a major player in low-carbon energies. Our 98,000 employees are committed to better energy that is safer, cleaner, more efficient, more innovative and accessible to as many people as possible. As a responsible corporate citizen, we focus on ensuring that our operations in more than 130 countries worldwide consistently deliver economic, social and environmental benefits.

About Polystyvert

Founded in 2011, Polystyvert is a Montreal-based clean technology startup that has developed an innovative, low-carbon-footprint process to recycle polystyrene based on a dissolution technology. Effective on all types of polystyrene, Polystyvert's technology includes a purification process that removes all contaminants, with a decentralized model that drastically reduces transportation costs. The result is a high-purity recycled resource that can be reused for upcycled polystyrene products, opening the door to a larger market than actual mechanical recycling technologies.

Polystyvert's technology addresses a major global environmental issue, since large quantities of post-consumer or post-industrial polystyrene waste are buried in landfills every year, while more and more new polystyrene is produced. Polystyvert's technology offers a great opportunity to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels used in the production of new polystyrene and reduce GHG emissions.

Cautionary note 
This press release, from which no legal consequences may be drawn, is for information purposes only. The entities in which TOTAL S.A. directly or indirectly owns investments are separate legal entities. TOTAL S.A. has no liability for their acts or omissions. In this document, the terms "Total" and "Total Group" are sometimes used for convenience where general references are made to TOTAL S.A. and/or its subsidiaries. Likewise, the words "we", "us" and "our" may also be used to refer to subsidiaries in general or to those who work for them.

SOURCE Total