Chemical Recycling Plastic Waste: Justified Hype or Hinderance?

The chemical recycling of plastic waste is championed by many companies as the enabling solution to a circular economy and their sustainability goals, but to others it is perceived as a damaging red herring. Despite this ongoing debate, the chemical recycling market is at the cusp of significant growth; IDTechEx independently forecasts that pyrolysis and depolymerisation plants will recycle over 20 million tonnes/year of plastic waste by 2033.

 

Headlines on the investments, planned expansions and real-world product launches are all accelerating in their frequency and scale. The largest petrochemical companies, FMCG companies and other key stakeholders in the value chain are responding with both internal developments and external engagements; early-stage technology companies are announcing funding, strategic partnerships, joint development agreements and offtake agreements from critical players in the supply chain.

 

The main criticisms surround both the environmental impact and the economic viability. This webinar aims to provide a balanced view of both those endorsing and criticising the technology, many criticisms are valid and advocacy groups, alongside failed projects, will inhibit the growth, but given the momentum, IDTechEx do not believe they will prevent the trajectory for this market. Chemical recycling is not the silver bullet but equally it will not play an insignificant role in an industry producing over 400million tonnes (and rising) of fossil-based plastic each year.

 

The brand new IDTechEx market report, "Chemical Recycling and Dissolution of Plastics 2023-2033", provides an independent assessment on the field, including pyrolysis, depolymerisation, gasification and dissolution processes. This report includes 10-year market forecasts giving a crucial unbiased outlook.

 

In this webinar, IDTechEx will provide: