Hard to recycle plastics could now be reused, after a new technique trialled in Saudi Arabia.

Totalenergies has partnered with energy and chemicals company, Aramco and chemicals manufacturer, SABIC.

Together they will convert oil derived from plastic waste into ISCC+ (International Sustainability & Carbon Certification) circular polymers. The ISCC+ certification ensures transparency and traceability of the process.

The process allows the use of non-sorted plastics, which can be difficult to recycle mechanically.

It is Middle East and North Africa’s (MENA) first large scale plastic processing operation.

The companies aim to create a domestic value chain for the advanced recycling of plastics to circular polymers.

Bernard Pinatel, President of Refining & Chemicals, TotalEnergies, said: “This advanced plastic recycling initiative reflects TotalEnergies’ ambition to concretely contribute to addressing the challenge of end-of-life of plastics.

“It is a major pathway towards TotalEnergies’ target to produce 30% of circular polymers by 2030, and its strategy to build a multi-energy company with the ambition to get to net zero by 2050, together with society.”