The Global Market for Advanced Chemical Recycling

Published April 2023 | 218 pages, 39 tables, 42 figures | Download table of contents

Advanced recycling technologies that utilize heat or chemical solvents to recycle plastics into new plastics, fuels or chemicals are a key strategy for solving the global plastic problem.

Advanced chemical recycling technologies are now being developed by around 140 companies worldwide, and capacities are increasing. Companies including ExxonMobil, New Hope Energy, Nexus Circular, Eastman, Encina are planning to build large plastics recycling plants.

As well as complementing traditional mechanical recycling, advanced recycling offers benefits such as widening the range of recyclable plastic options, producing high value plastics (e.g. for flexible food packaging) and improving sustainability (using waste rather than fossil fuels for plastics production).

Report contents include:

Overview of the global plastics and bioplastics markets.
Market drivers and trends.
Advanced plastics recycling industry developments 2020-2023.
Capacities by technology.
Market maps and value chain.
In-depth analysis of advanced plastics recycling technologies.
Advanced plastics recycling technologies covered include:
- Pyrolysis
- Gasification
- Dissolution
- Depolymerisation
- Emerging technologies.
Profiles of 144 companies. Companies profiled include Agilyx, APK AG, Aquafil, Carbios, Eastman, Extracthive, Fych Technologies, Garbo, gr3n SA, Ioniqa, Itero, Licella, Mura Technology, revalyu Resources GmbH, Plastogaz SA, Plastic Energy, Polystyvert, Pyrowave, Synova and SABIC.

1 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 13

2 CLASSIFICATION OF RECYCLING TECHNOLOGIES 14

3 INTRODUCTION 15

3.1 Global production of plastics 15
3.2 The importance of plastic 16
3.3 Issues with plastics use 16
3.4 Bio-based or renewable plastics 17
- 3.4.1 Drop-in bio-based plastics 17
- 3.4.2 Novel bio-based plastics 18
3.5 Biodegradable and compostable plastics 19
- 3.5.1 Biodegradability 19
- 3.5.2 Compostability 20
3.6 Plastic pollution 20
3.7 Policy and regulations 21
3.8 The circular economy 22
3.9 Plastic recycling 24
- 3.9.1 Mechanical recycling 25
  - 3.9.1.1 Closed-loop mechanical recycling 26
  - 3.9.1.2 Open-loop mechanical recycling 26
  - 3.9.1.3 Polymer types, use, and recovery 26
- 3.9.2 Advanced chemical recycling 27
  - 3.9.2.1 Main streams of plastic waste 28
  - 3.9.2.2 Comparison of mechanical and advanced chemical recycling 28

4 THE ADVANCED PLASTICS RECYCLING MARKET 30

4.1 Market drivers and trends 30
4.2 Industry developments 2020-2023 31
4.3 Capacities 34
4.4 Global polymer demand 2022-2040, segmented by recycling technology 37
4.5 Global market by recycling process 38
4.6 Chemically recycled plastic products 39
4.7 Market map 40
4.8 Value chain 41
4.9 Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) of advanced chemical recycling processes 42
4.10 Market challenges 43

5 ADVANCED RECYCLING TECHNOLOGIES 44

5.1 Applications 44
5.2 Pyrolysis 45
- 5.2.1 Non-catalytic 46
- 5.2.2 Catalytic 47
  - 5.2.2.1 Polystyrene pyrolysis 49
  - 5.2.2.2 Pyrolysis for production of bio fuel 49
  - 5.2.2.3 Used tires pyrolysis 53
    - 5.2.2.3.1 Conversion to biofuel 54
  - 5.2.2.4 Co-pyrolysis of biomass and plastic wastes 55
- 5.2.3 SWOT analysis 56
- 5.2.4 Companies and capacities 57
5.3 Gasification 59
- 5.3.1 Technology overview 59
  - 5.3.1.1 Syngas conversion to methanol 60
  - 5.3.1.2 Biomass gasification and syngas fermentation 64
  - 5.3.1.3 Biomass gasification and syngas thermochemical conversion 64
- 5.3.2 SWOT analysis 65
- 5.3.3 Companies and capacities (current and planned) 66
5.4 Dissolution 67
- 5.4.1 Technology overview 67
- 5.4.2 SWOT analysis 68
- 5.4.3 Companies and capacities (current and planned) 69
5.5 Depolymerisation 70
- 5.5.1 Hydrolysis 72
  - 5.5.1.1 Technology overview 72
  - 5.5.1.2 SWOT analysis 73
- 5.5.2 Enzymolysis 74
  - 5.5.2.1 Technology overview 74
  - 5.5.2.2 SWOT analysis 75
- 5.5.3 Methanolysis 76
  - 5.5.3.1 Technology overview 76
  - 5.5.3.2 SWOT analysis 77
- 5.5.4 Glycolysis 78
  - 5.5.4.1 Technology overview 78
  - 5.5.4.2 SWOT analysis 80
- 5.5.5 Aminolysis 81
  - 5.5.5.1 Technology overview 81
  - 5.5.5.2 SWOT analysis 81
- 5.5.6 Companies and capacities (current and planned) 82
5.6 Other advanced chemical recycling technologies 83
- 5.6.1 Hydrothermal cracking 83
- 5.6.2 Pyrolysis with in-line reforming 84
- 5.6.3 Microwave-assisted pyrolysis 84
- 5.6.4 Plasma pyrolysis 85
- 5.6.5 Plasma gasification 86
- 5.6.6 Supercritical fluids 86
- 5.6.7 Carbon fiber recycling 87
  - 5.6.7.1 Processes 87
  - 5.6.7.2 Companies 90

6 COMPANY PROFILES 91 (144 company profiles)

7 REFERENCES 214

List of Tables

Table 1. Types of recycling. 14
Table 2. Issues related to the use of plastics. 16
Table 3. Type of biodegradation. 20
Table 4. Overview of the recycling technologies. 25
Table 5. Polymer types, use, and recovery. 26
Table 6. Composition of plastic waste streams. 28
Table 7. Comparison of mechanical and advanced chemical recycling. 28
Table 8. Market drivers and trends in the advanced plastics recycling market. 30
Table 9. Advanced plastics recycling industry developments 2020-2023. 31
Table 10. Advanced plastics recycling capacities, by technology. 34
Table 11. Example chemically recycled plastic products. 39
Table 12. Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) of Advanced Chemical Recycling Processes. 42
Table 13. Challenges in the advanced recycling market. 43
Table 14. Applications of chemically recycled materials. 44
Table 15. Summary of non-catalytic pyrolysis technologies. 46
Table 16. Summary of catalytic pyrolysis technologies. 47
Table 17. Summary of pyrolysis technique under different operating conditions. 51
Table 18. Biomass materials and their bio-oil yield. 52
Table 19. Biofuel production cost from the biomass pyrolysis process. 53
Table 20. Pyrolysis companies and plant capacities, current and planned. 57
Table 21. Summary of gasification technologies. 59
Table 22. Advanced recycling (Gasification) companies. 66
Table 23. Summary of dissolution technologies. 67
Table 24. Advanced recycling (Dissolution) companies 69
Table 25. Depolymerisation processes for PET, PU, PC and PA, products and yields. 71
Table 26. Summary of hydrolysis technologies-feedstocks, process, outputs, commercial maturity and technology developers. 72
Table 27. Summary of Enzymolysis technologies-feedstocks, process, outputs, commercial maturity and technology developers. 74
Table 28. Summary of methanolysis technologies-feedstocks, process, outputs, commercial maturity and technology developers. 76
Table 29. Summary of glycolysis technologies-feedstocks, process, outputs, commercial maturity and technology developers. 78
Table 30. Summary of aminolysis technologies. 81
Table 31. Advanced recycling (Depolymerisation) companies and capacities (current and planned). 82
Table 32. Overview of hydrothermal cracking for advanced chemical recycling. 83
Table 33. Overview of Pyrolysis with in-line reforming for advanced chemical recycling. 84
Table 34. Overview of microwave-assisted pyrolysis for advanced chemical recycling. 84
Table 35. Overview of plasma pyrolysis for advanced chemical recycling. 85
Table 36. Overview of plasma gasification for advanced chemical recycling. 86
Table 37. Summary of carbon fiber (CF) recycling technologies. Advantages and disadvantages. 88
Table 38. Retention rate of tensile properties of recovered carbon fibres by different recycling processes. 89
Table 39. Recycled carbon fiber producers, technology and capacity. 90

List of Figures

Figure 1. Global plastics production 1950-2020, millions of tons. 15
Figure 2. Coca-Cola PlantBottle®. 18
Figure 3. Interrelationship between conventional, bio-based and biodegradable plastics. 18
Figure 4. Global production, use, and fate of polymer resins, synthetic fibers, and additives. 21
Figure 5. The circular plastic economy. 23
Figure 6. Current management systems for waste plastics. 24
Figure 7. Global polymer demand 2022-2040, segmented by technology, million metric tons. 37
Figure 8. Global demand by recycling process, 2020-2035, million metric tons. 38
Figure 9. Market map for advanced recycling. 40
Figure 10. Value chain for advanced recycling market. 41
Figure 11. Schematic layout of a pyrolysis plant. 45
Figure 12. Waste plastic production pathways to (A) diesel and (B) gasoline 50
Figure 13. Schematic for Pyrolysis of Scrap Tires. 54
Figure 14. Used tires conversion process. 55
Figure 15. SWOT analysis-pyrolysis for advanced recycling. 56
Figure 16. Total syngas market by product in MM Nm³/h of Syngas, 2021. 60
Figure 17. Overview of biogas utilization. 62
Figure 18. Biogas and biomethane pathways. 63
Figure 19. SWOT analysis-gasification for advanced recycling. 65
Figure 20. SWOT analysis-dissoluton for advanced recycling. 68
Figure 21. Products obtained through the different solvolysis pathways of PET, PU, and PA. 70
Figure 22. SWOT analysis-Hydrolysis for advanced chemical recycling. 73
Figure 23. SWOT analysis-Enzymolysis for advanced chemical recycling. 75
Figure 24. SWOT analysis-Methanolysis for advanced chemical recycling. 77
Figure 25. SWOT analysis-Glycolysis for advanced chemical recycling. 80
Figure 26. SWOT analysis-Aminolysis for advanced chemical recycling. 81
Figure 27. NewCycling process. 98
Figure 28. ChemCyclingTM prototypes. 102
Figure 29. ChemCycling circle by BASF. 102
Figure 30. Recycled carbon fibers obtained through the R3FIBER process. 104
Figure 31. Cassandra Oil process. 115
Figure 32. CuRe Technology process. 123
Figure 33. MoReTec. 156
Figure 34. Chemical decomposition process of polyurethane foam. 158
Figure 35. Schematic Process of Plastic Energy’s TAC Chemical Recycling. 171
Figure 36. Easy-tear film material from recycled material. 186
Figure 37. Polyester fabric made from recycled monomers. 189
Figure 38. A sheet of acrylic resin made from conventional, fossil resource-derived MMA monomer (left) and a sheet of acrylic resin made from chemically recycled MMA monomer (right). 199
Figure 39. Teijin Frontier Co., Ltd. Depolymerisation process. 204
Figure 40. The Velocys process. 210
Figure 41. The Proesa® Process. 211
Figure 42. Worn Again products. 212

The Global Market for Advanced Plastics Recycling

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The Global Market for Advanced Plastics Recycling

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