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Plastic Upcycling Technology Market - Global Forecast to 2036 | Market to Reach $18.43 Billion at 13.3% CAGR as Chemical Recycling and AI-Enabled Sorting Scale

globenewswire.com
EMN Eastman Chemical Company is mentioned as a major player in the plastic upcycling technology market, which is projected to grow significantly. The article does not provide specific sentiment towards Eastman's performance but lists it among key companies. LYB LyondellBasell Industries N.V. is listed as a major company operating in the plastic upcycling technology market, which is expected to experience substantial growth. The article does not offer specific sentiment or performance details for the company. PCT PureCycle Technologies Inc. is named as a major company in the plastic upcycling technology market, which is forecast to grow considerably. The article does not offer specific sentiment or performance details for PureCycle. AMR AMP Robotics Corp. is mentioned as a major company in the plastic upcycling technology market, which is expected to see significant expansion. The article does not provide specific sentiment or performance details for AMP Robotics.

Plastic Upcycling Technology Market - Global Forecast to 2036 | Market to Reach $18.43 Billion at 13.3% CAGR as Chemical Recycling and AI-Enabled Sorting Scale Dublin, Nov. 09, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- "Plastic Upcycling Technology Market - Global Forecast to 2036" has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

According to the report, the global plastic upcycling technology market is projected to reach approximately USD 18.43 billion by 2036, rising from an estimated USD 5.27 billion in 2026. The market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 13.3% during the forecast period of 2026-2036.

Market growth is being supported by the global transition toward circular economy models, increasing regulatory requirements for recycled content, and corporate commitments to reduce plastic waste. The commercial expansion of chemical recycling, enzymatic degradation, advanced mechanical upcycling, and AI-enabled sorting is also helping the industry move from pilot projects to industrial-scale infrastructure. These technologies can recover greater value from post-consumer and post-industrial plastic streams while improving the quality and potential applications of recycled materials.

Plastic Upcycling Technology Market Segmentation

The report analyzes the market by technology, plastic type, output product, end-use industry, and geography. It also provides country-level market assessments and evaluates the competitive landscape, strategic developments, technology portfolios, and growth opportunities for established companies and new entrants.

Technology Insights

Chemical recycling is expected to account for the largest share of the plastic upcycling technology market in 2026. The segment includes pyrolysis, gasification, solvolysis, depolymerization, and supercritical water processing. Its leading position is supported by its ability to process contaminated, mixed, and difficult-to-recycle plastic waste that may not be suitable for conventional mechanical recycling.

Enzymatic & biological degradation is projected to record the fastest growth during the forecast period. Commercial advances in thermophilic PETase enzymatic depolymerization are creating opportunities to produce food-contact grade rPET from post-consumer PET waste with high material specificity and improved energy efficiency. Advanced mechanical upcycling and AI-enabled sorting & pre-processing are also expected to support higher recovery rates and more consistent feedstock quality.

Plastic Type Insights

PET is expected to hold the largest market share in 2026, driven by established bottle collection systems and strong demand for food-grade rPET from the global beverage and packaging industries. Demand is also supported by recycled-content targets and brand commitments related to sustainable packaging.

Mixed & multilayer flexible packaging is anticipated to register significant growth through 2036. Advances in pyrolysis and gasification are improving the processing of these complex waste streams and enabling their conversion into pyrolysis oil and other chemical feedstocks. Additional plastic categories assessed in the report include HDPE, LDPE & LLDPE, PP, PS, PVC, polyurethane (PU), and polyamide/nylon.

Output Product and End-Use Industry Insights

The market assessment covers recycled monomers & chemical feedstocks, pyrolysis oil & syngas, high-value recycled polymers, and consumer & industrial upcycled products. These outputs are increasingly being adopted across packaging, textiles & apparel, automotive, construction & infrastructure, and electronics & electrical equipment applications.

Packaging is expected to remain the largest end-use industry in 2026, supported by extended producer responsibility (EPR) requirements, recycled-content mandates, and stricter plastic waste regulations. Textiles & apparel is forecast to experience significant growth as the industry shifts from bottle-to-fiber production toward fiber-to-fiber recycling. Chemical recycling technologies capable of recovering high-purity monomers from blended textile waste are expected to accelerate this transition.

Regional Market Outlook

Europe is projected to lead the global plastic upcycling technology market in 2026, followed by North America and Asia-Pacific. Europe's position is reinforced by stringent plastic waste policies, including the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), as well as continued investment in circular materials and advanced recycling infrastructure.

Asia-Pacific is expected to post the fastest growth during the forecast period. Key drivers include investment in domestic plastic waste processing infrastructure in China, advanced recycling technology programs in Japan and South Korea, and expanding government and NGO-backed upcycling initiatives. The report also examines opportunities across the U.S., Canada, Germany, France, U.K., Netherlands, Spain, India, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa.

Competitive Landscape

Major companies operating in the plastic upcycling technology market include Carbios SAS, Plastic Energy Ltd., Mura Technology Ltd., Eastman Chemical Company, Loop Industries Inc., Ioniqa Technologies B.V., SABIC, LyondellBasell Industries N.V., BASF SE, Borealis AG, SK Geocentric Co., Ltd., AMP Robotics Corp., TOMRA Systems ASA, Erema Group GmbH, and PureCycle Technologies Inc.

The report evaluates the revenue outlook, historical growth rates, market drivers, competitive positioning, and strategic developments shaping the industry. It also identifies the technologies, plastic types, output products, end-use industries, and geographic markets expected to generate the strongest opportunities over the next 7-10 years.

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/z5m4zn

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