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The Global Activated Carbon Market 2026-2036

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  • Published: February 2026
  • Pages: 109
  • Tables: 31
  • Figures: 5

 

The Global Activated Carbon Market 2026–2036 is the most comprehensive and up-to-date industry analysis available, delivering a full ten-year strategic outlook for one of the world’s most critical filtration and purification materials. Published by Future Markets, Inc., this in-depth market report covers every major segment, application, region, raw material feedstock, and product type shaping the global activated carbon industry through to 2036. Whether you are a manufacturer, distributor, investor, water utility, environmental engineer, or procurement specialist, this report provides the granular data and expert analysis needed to make informed strategic decisions in a rapidly evolving market.

Activated carbon is an essential industrial material used across an extraordinary range of applications, from drinking water treatment and air purification to pharmaceutical manufacturing, food and beverage processing, gold mining, PFAS remediation, and advanced energy storage. Tightening environmental regulations worldwide—including the landmark US EPA PFAS drinking water standards finalized in 2024, the updated EU Drinking Water Directive, and increasingly stringent industrial emissions controls across Asia Pacific—are driving unprecedented demand growth. This report analyses each of these regulatory catalysts in detail, quantifying their impact on activated carbon consumption across every major end-use market.

The report delivers granular ten-year market forecasts segmented by application (water treatment, air and gas purification, food and beverage, pharmaceutical and medical, automotive and industrial, and other applications including energy storage and mining), by product type (powdered activated carbon, granular activated carbon, extruded and pelletized activated carbon, and specialty forms including activated carbon cloth, bead activated carbon, and activated carbon fibre), by raw material (coal-based, coconut shell-based, wood-based, peat, and emerging alternative feedstocks), and by region (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East and Africa). Each forecast segment includes detailed commentary on growth drivers, competitive dynamics, supply chain developments, and emerging opportunities.

A major feature of this edition is the inclusion of a dedicated chapter on carbon capture, carbon credits, and the activated carbon industry—an entirely new area of strategic significance. This section examines activated carbon’s emerging role as a CO₂ capture material, the explosive growth of the direct air capture (DAC) market, carbon credit and biochar market dynamics, life cycle assessment of activated carbon production methods, the circular economy advantages of reactivation, and the impact of regulatory carbon pricing mechanisms such as the EU Emissions Trading System and Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism on feedstock economics and competitive positioning.

The report also features extensive coverage of activated carbon in the energy storage market, a high-growth emerging application. This includes detailed analysis of supercapacitor electrode materials, lead-carbon batteries, lithium-ion capacitors, silicon-carbon composite anodes for lithium-ion batteries, hard carbon anodes for sodium-ion batteries, flow battery electrodes, and fuel cell catalyst supports. Energy storage represents a premium-priced segment with growth rates significantly outpacing the broader activated carbon market.

PFAS remediation is analysed as a major market catalyst, with the report providing a comprehensive assessment of the global regulatory landscape, activated carbon’s position as the preferred treatment technology, and detailed demand forecasts for PFAS-driven activated carbon consumption through 2036. Regional analysis covers North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa, with country-level detail for the United States, Canada, Mexico, China, India, Japan, Southeast Asia, Australia, Brazil, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom, among others.

Twenty-four company profiles provide detailed competitive intelligence on the leading global activated carbon manufacturers and distributors, covering product portfolios, production capacities, recent developments, strategic initiatives, and market positioning. The report also includes comprehensive technical benchmarking tables comparing all major activated carbon types across physical properties, performance characteristics, manufacturing processes, applications, and commercial factors—an invaluable reference tool for product selection and specification.

The raw material landscape is undergoing a fundamental transformation, and this report provides the data needed to navigate it. Coal-based activated carbon has historically dominated global production, but coconut shell-based carbon is experiencing the fastest growth, driven by superior adsorption properties for liquid-phase applications, sustainability credentials, and rising demand from the energy storage sector where coconut shell is the overwhelmingly preferred feedstock. Wood-based and alternative feedstock segments are also analysed in detail, including emerging biomass-derived and waste-derived activated carbons that are reshaping the competitive landscape. The report quantifies these feedstock shifts and their implications for pricing, supply chain resilience, and regional competitive advantage.

Global production capacity is mapped by region, with analysis of capacity expansions, reactivation infrastructure, and the growing importance of circular economy models in the activated carbon industry. Reactivated carbon is covered as a distinct and rapidly growing segment, with detailed assessment of its environmental benefits, cost advantages, and market adoption trends. The report examines how reactivation reduces carbon footprint by up to 80% compared with virgin production, and the potential for carbon credit generation from reactivation activities.

With over 30 tables and figures, detailed price and cost analysis, supply chain mapping for coal-based, coconut shell-based, and wood-based activated carbon, customer segmentation, addressable market sizing, and a thorough assessment of risks, opportunities, and barriers to growth, this report is an indispensable resource for anyone involved in the global activated carbon value chain.

Report Contents include: 

  • Executive Summary with market overview, key findings, and key developments 2024–2026
  • Global market forecasts 2026–2036 by application, region, product type, and raw material
  • Carbon capture, carbon credits, and the activated carbon industry including DAC market analysis, biochar, and carbon pricing impacts
  • Introduction to activated carbon types, production methods, activation processes, and reactivation technology
  • Comprehensive technical benchmarking of all major activated carbon types across physical properties, performance, manufacturing, applications, and commercial factors
  • Water treatment market analysis including municipal drinking water, wastewater, industrial water, and PFAS remediation
  • Air and gas purification market analysis including industrial emissions, indoor air quality, mercury control, and VOC removal
  • Food and beverage processing applications including sugar decolorization, edible oil purification, and beverage treatment
  • Pharmaceutical and medical applications including drug purification, medical devices, and poison treatment
  • Chemical and petrochemical industry applications
  • Energy storage applications including supercapacitors, lead-carbon batteries, lithium-ion capacitors, sodium-ion batteries, flow batteries, and fuel cells
  • Mining and precious metal recovery applications including gold recovery via carbon-in-pulp and carbon-in-leach
  • Environmental remediation applications including soil treatment, groundwater cleanup, and contaminated site restoration
  • Automotive and vehicle applications including evaporative emission control and cabin air filtration
  • Personal care, consumer products, and specialty applications
  • PFAS remediation and its impact on the activated carbon market with regulatory analysis and demand forecasts
  • Emerging applications including mercury emission control, biogas upgrading, nanoactivated carbon, and sustainability trends
  • Market analysis including growth drivers and trends, regulations, price and cost analysis, supply chain, future outlook, customer segmentation, addressable market size, risks and opportunities, and market challenges
  • Global market revenue forecasts and production capacity analysis including reactivation capacity
  • Regional market analysis for North America (US, Canada, Mexico), Europe (Germany, France, UK, and others), Asia Pacific (China, India, Japan, Southeast Asia, Australia), Middle East and Africa, and Latin America (Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Peru, Colombia)
  • 24 detailed company profiles of leading activated carbon manufacturers and distributors
  • Comprehensive references section

Companies Profiled include: ADA Carbon Solutions, AdvEn Inc., Arq Inc., Atlas Carbon LLC, Boyce Carbon, Bygen, Carbo Tech AC GmbH, Carbon Activated Corporation (CAC), Carbonxt Group Limited, CarboTech AC GmbH, Chemviron Carbon, CN Energy Development, CPL/Puragen Activated Carbons and more.....

 

 

 

1             EXECUTIVE SUMMARY            12

  • 1.1        Market Overview and Key Findings (2026)  12
  • 1.2        Key Developments 2024–2026          12
  • 1.3        Global Market Forecast 2026–2036 by Application, 2026–2036  13
  • 1.4        Market Forecast by Region 2026–2036        16
  • 1.5        Market Forecast by Product Type 2026–2036          19
  • 1.6        Market Forecast by Raw Material 2026–2036          21
  • 1.7        Carbon Capture, Carbon Credits and the Activated Carbon Industry      23
    • 1.7.1    Activated Carbon as a CO₂ capture material            23
    • 1.7.2    Biomass-Derived Activated Carbon for CO₂ Capture          24
    • 1.7.3    The Direct Air Capture (DAC) Market: A New Frontier for Activated Carbon         25
      • 1.7.3.1 DAC Market Size and Growth              25
      • 1.7.3.2 Key DAC Projects and Infrastructure              25
    • 1.7.4    Government Policy Support 25
    • 1.7.5    Implications for the Activated Carbon Industry      26
  • 1.8        Carbon Credits and Carbon Markets             26
    • 1.8.1    Overview of Carbon Markets               26
    • 1.8.2    Carbon Credit Pricing               27
    • 1.8.3    Corporate Offtake Driving the Market            27
  • 1.9        Biochar: The Bridge Between Activated Carbon and Carbon Credits        27
    • 1.9.1    Biochar and Activated Carbon: Related Industries               27
    • 1.9.2    Biochar Carbon Credit Market            28
    • 1.9.3    Opportunities for Activated Carbon Producers       28
  • 1.10     Life Cycle Assessment of Activated Carbon Production   28
  • 1.11     Reactivation: The Circular Economy Advantage     29
    • 1.11.1 Reactivation and Carbon Credit Potential  29
  • 1.12     Regulatory Carbon Pricing and Impacts on the Activated Carbon Industry          30
    • 1.12.1 EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS)         30
    • 1.12.2 EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)            30
    • 1.12.3 Other Carbon Pricing Mechanisms 30
    • 1.12.4 Carbon Pricing Impact on Feedstock Economics  30
  • 1.13     Activated Carbon in Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS)    31
    • 1.13.1 Industrial Point-Source Capture        31
    • 1.13.2 The Hydrogen Economy Connection              31

 

2             INTRODUCTION          32

  • 2.1        Overview           32
  • 2.2        Types   32
    • 2.2.1    Powdered Activated Carbon (PAC)  34
    • 2.2.2    Granular Activated Carbon (GAC)    34
    • 2.2.3    Extruded Activated Carbon (EAC)    34
    • 2.2.4    Impregnated Activated Carbon          34
    • 2.2.5    Bead Activated Carbon (BAC               35
    • 2.2.6    Polymer Coated Carbon         35
    • 2.2.7    Specialty Forms           35
  • 2.3        Benchmarking of Activated Carbon Types  36
    • 2.3.1    Physical Properties and Structure    36
    • 2.3.2    Performance Characteristics              38
    • 2.3.3    Raw Material Feedstocks and Manufacturing          40
    • 2.3.4    Applications and End-Use Markets 41
    • 2.3.5    Commercial and Economic Factors               43
  • 2.4        Production       45
    • 2.4.1    Coal-based Activated Carbon            45
    • 2.4.2    Wood-based Activated Carbon         45
    • 2.4.3    Coconut Shell-based Activated Carbon      45
    • 2.4.4    Fruit Stone and Nutshell-based Activated Carbon                45
    • 2.4.5    Polymer-based Activated Carbon    45
    • 2.4.6    Activated Carbon Fibers (ACFs)         45
    • 2.4.7    Production Technology and Processes         46
      • 2.4.7.1 Activation Processes 46
      • 2.4.7.2 Reactivation Technology         46

 

3             MARKETS AND APPLICATIONS           47

  • 3.1        Water Treatment          48
  • 3.2        Air Purification              49
  • 3.3        Food and Beverage Processing          50
  • 3.4        Pharmaceutical and Medical Applications 51
  • 3.5        Chemical and Petrochemical Industries     53
  • 3.6        Energy Storage              54
    • 3.6.1    Supercapacitor Technology and Activated Carbon's Role                54
      • 3.6.1.1 Supercapacitor Applications Driving Activated Carbon Demand                55
    • 3.6.2    Lead-carbon batteries             56
      • 3.6.2.1 Technology Overview                56
    • 3.6.3    Lithium-ion Batteries and Lithium-ion Capacitors 57
      • 3.6.3.1 Activated Carbon in Lithium-Ion Capacitors (LICs)              57
      • 3.6.3.2 Activated Carbon as Conductive Additive and Functional Component  57
      • 3.6.3.3 Hard Carbon Anodes for Sodium-Ion Batteries       57
    • 3.6.4    Flow Batteries                58
    • 3.6.5    Zinc-Air and Metal-Air Batteries         58
    • 3.6.6    Fuel Cell Components            58
    • 3.6.7    Solid-State Batteries 58
  • 3.7        Mining and Precious Metal Recovery              59
  • 3.8        Environmental Remediation 60
  • 3.9        Chemical and Petrochemical Industries     61
  • 3.10     Automotive and Vehicle Applications            61
  • 3.11     Personal Care, Consumer Products, and Other Specialty Applications 62
  • 3.12     PFAS remediation and its impact on the Activated Carbon Market            62
    • 3.12.1 Overview of PFAS and the Regulatory Landscape 62
    • 3.12.2 Activated Carbon as the Preferred PFAS Treatment Technology   63
    • 3.12.3 Market Impact of PFAS Regulations on Activated Carbon Demand           63
  • 3.13     Emerging applications             64
    • 3.13.1 Energy Storage Applications 64
    • 3.13.2 Mercury Emission Control    64
    • 3.13.3 Biogas Upgrading       64
    • 3.13.4 Nanoactivated Carbon and Advanced Materials    65
    • 3.13.5 Sustainability and Circular Economy Trends            65
  • 3.14     Market analysis            65
    • 3.14.1 Market Growth Drivers and Trends   65
    • 3.14.2 Regulations     66
    • 3.14.3 Price and Costs Analysis       67
    • 3.14.4 Supply Chain 67
      • 3.14.4.1            Coal-Based Activated Carbon            67
      • 3.14.4.2            Coconut Shell-Based Activated Carbon      68
      • 3.14.4.3            Wood-Based Activated Carbon         68
    • 3.14.5 Future Outlook             69
    • 3.14.6 Customer Segmentation        70
    • 3.14.7 Addressable Market Size        71
    • 3.14.8 Risks and Opportunities         72
    • 3.14.9 Market Challenges and Barriers to Growth 73
      • 3.14.9.1            Raw Material Supply Constraints     73
      • 3.14.9.2            Competition from Alternative Technologies              73
      • 3.14.9.3            Regulatory Uncertainty            73
      • 3.14.9.4            Price Competition      73

 

4             GLOBAL MARKET FORECASTS            74

  • 4.1        Revenues          74
  • 4.2        Global activated carbon production capacity          75
    • 4.2.1    Reactivation Capacity              76

 

5             REGIONAL MARKET ANALYSIS            77

  • 5.1        North America              77
    • 5.1.1    Market Size and Growth          77
    • 5.1.2    United States 77
      • 5.1.2.1 U.S. Environmental Regulations        78
    • 5.1.3    Canada             78
    • 5.1.4    Mexico                78
  • 5.2        Europe                78
    • 5.2.1    Market Size and Growth          78
    • 5.2.2    European Regulations             79
  • 5.3        Regulatory Environment         79
    • 5.3.1    Key National Markets                79
    • 5.3.2    Circular Economy Focus        79
  • 5.4        Asia Pacific     80
    • 5.4.1    Market Size and Growth          80
    • 5.4.2    China  80
    • 5.4.3    India    80
    • 5.4.4    Japan  81
    • 5.4.5    Southeast Asia (Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka)        81
    • 5.4.6    Australia           82
  • 5.5        Middle East & Africa  82
    • 5.5.1    Market Size and Growth          82
    • 5.5.2    Middle East     82
    • 5.5.3    Africa   82
  • 5.6        Latin America 83
    • 5.6.1    Market Size and Growth          83
    • 5.6.2    Brazil   83
    • 5.6.3    Mexico                83
    • 5.6.4    Chile, Peru, and Colombia    83
    • 5.6.5    Rest of Latin America               83

 

6             COMPANY PROFILES                84 (24 company profiles)

 

7             REFERENCES 104

 

List of Tables

  • Table 1. Global Activated Carbon Market Forecast by Application, 2026–2036 (USD Billions) 13
  • Table 2. Global Activated Carbon Market Forecast by Application, 2026–2036 (USD Billions) 16
  • Table 3. Global Activated Carbon Market Forecast by Product Type, 2026–2036 (USD Billions)            19
  • Table 4. Global Activated Carbon Market Forecast by Raw Material, 2026–2036 (USD Billions)            21
  • Table 5. Comparative Position of Activated Carbon vs. Competing CO₂ Adsorbents      24
  • Table 6. Carbon Footprint by Production Method  29
  • Table 7. Types of Activated Carbon 32
  • Table 8. Activated Carbon Product Type Comparison (Updated 2026)    35
  • Table 9. Physical Properties and Structure 36
  • Table 10. Performance Characteristics        38
  • Table 11. Raw Material Feedstocks and Manufacturing    40
  • Table 12. Applications and End-Use Markets            41
  • Table 13. Commercial and Economic Factors         43
  • Table 14. Markets and Applications for Activated Carbon.              47
  • Table 15. Supercapacitor Performance Specifications for Activated Carbon      54
  • Table 16. Producers of Supercapacitor-Grade Activated Carbon 55
  • Table 17. Types of Carbon Used in Lead-Carbon Batteries              56
  • Table 18. Lead-Carbon Battery Applications            56
  • Table 19. COMPARATIVE TABLE: ACTIVATED CARBON ACROSS ENERGY STORAGE TECHNOLOGIES                58
  • Table 20. PFAS Regulatory Impact on Activated Carbon Demand by Region       64
  • Table 21. Estimated PFAS-Driven Activated Carbon Demand Forecast, 2026–2036 (USD Millions)    64
  • Table 22. Market Growth Drivers and Trends in Activated Carbon.             65
  • Table 23. Regulations pertaining to Activated Carbon.       66
  • Table 24. Price and costs analysis for Activated Carbon. 67
  • Table 25. Activated Carbon supply chain.  68
  • Table 26. Future outlook for Activated Carbon by end use market.            69
  • Table 27. Addressable market size for Activated Carbon by market.         71
  • Table 28. Risks and Opportunities in Activated Carbon.   72
  • Table 29. Global market revenues for Activated Carbon 2020-2036 (millions USD), by market.             74
  • Table 30. Global Activated Carbon Production Capacity by Region (2025-2026)             75
  • Table 31. Major Indian Activated Carbon Producers (Updated 2026)       81

 

List of Figures

  • Figure 1. Global Activated Carbon Market Forecast by Application, 2026–2036 (USD Billions)              14
  • Figure 2. Global Activated Carbon Market Forecast by Application, 2026–2036 (USD Billions)              16
  • Figure 3. Global Activated Carbon Market Forecast by Product Type, 2026–2036 (USD Billions)           19
  • Figure 4. Global Activated Carbon Market Forecast by Raw Material, 2026–2036 (USD Billions)           23
  • Figure 5. Global market revenues for Activated Carbon 2020-2036 (millions USD), by market.              75

 

 

Purchasers will receive the following:

  • PDF report download/by email. 
  • Comprehensive Excel spreadsheet of all data.
  • Mid-year Update

 

The Global Activated Carbon Market 2026-2036
The Global Activated Carbon Market 2026-2036
PDF download/by email.
Price: £1,000.00

The Global Activated Carbon Market 2026-2036
The Global Activated Carbon Market 2026-2036
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