A new trend study has been compiled by ecoprog GmbH, a consulting company in environmental and energy technology with the aim of providing insight into the current state of affairs in chemical recycling.
Chemical recycling is one of the most divisive issues in waste management today. Supporters of the technology are quick to point to its benefits: the ability to recycle formerly ‘unrecyclable’ plastics without downcycling, hence solving both a waste and feedstock problem in one go.
Detractors of the technology, however, are highly critical of the high CO2 emissions it involves. They argue that waste streams are being diverted from a more climate-friendly mechanical recycling process and that in many cases, there is no ‘recycling’, just incineration in disguise.
Now, in an attempt to provide more clarification, ecoprog has produced an in-depth look at the global market for chemical recycling - with the following results.
The report found that at the end of 2021, more than 90 projects for the chemical recycling of plastics were in various stages of development worldwide; more than 20 plants were in operation.
The majority, however, had not yet reached the stage where they could be qualified as final commercial plants, but mainly served for further research of this technology.
Yet it became apparent that the planning of chemical recycling plants is booming, with worldwide, more than 90 projects planned at the end of 2021, of which the lion’s share in Europe.
The most important driver of the currently so dynamic market development is the potential of chemical recycling in plastics production, combined with possible recyclable quotas. On the positive side, there is speculation that chemical recycling will soon be recognised in the waste hierarchy. The newly elected German coalition government has already indicated a willingness to do so.
On the other hand, opponents are wary about the technology’s high energy consumption and various technical issues that still must be addressed. This particularly regards the purification of the output from depolymerisation, such as pyrolysis oil, from contaminants and additives. The discussion about the political classification of chemical recycling also threatens its implementation.
Yet, write the authors of the report, ‘chemical recycling is a potential key technology in the future production of plastics, which may account for large market shares in the coming years’.
As it primarily affects the business model of the chemical and oil industries, the companies that are currently particularly active in chemical recycling also come from these industries. Other parties are waste companies who provide the input waste streams and start-ups whose founding ideas relate to the technical evaluation of the process.
"Trend Study – Chemical Recycling" by ecoprog examines the technical fundamentals, market factors, development status, plant inventory, projects and competition in the field of chemical recycling worldwide. The study is available at: www.ecoprog.de