Top 10 Companies in the Advanced Plastics Recycling Industry (2026): Market Leaders Powering the Circular Economy

In Business Insights
February 02, 2026


The Global Advanced Plastics Recycling Market was valued at USD 2.81 Billion in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 6.23 Billion by 2034, growing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 11.5% during the forecast period (2024–2034). This robust growth is being driven by stringent government regulations on plastic waste, rising consumer demand for sustainable products, and significant corporate investments in circular economy initiatives.

As the world grapples with the plastic pollution crisis, advanced recycling technologies offer a transformative solution by breaking down plastics to their molecular building blocks, creating virgin-quality materials. In this blog, we profile the Top 10 Companies in the Advanced Plastics Recycling Industry—a diverse mix of chemical giants, technology innovators, and specialized recyclers shaping the future of a circular plastics economy.


🔟 1. Eastman

Headquarters: Kingsport, Tennessee, USA
Key Offering: Molecular Recycling Technologies (Polyester and Polyester Renew)

Eastman is a global specialty materials company that has made significant strides in advanced recycling. Its innovative molecular recycling technologies, particularly methanolysis, break down complex plastic waste like polyester into its base monomers, which are then repolymerized into new, high-quality materials indistinguishable from virgin plastic.

Sustainability Initiatives:

  • Committed to recycling over 500 million pounds of plastic waste annually by 2030

  • Investing $1 billion in a molecular recycling facility in France

  • Partnerships with major brands like Estée Lauder and Procter & Gamble

Download FREE Sample Report: Advanced Plastics Recycling Market – View in Detailed Research Report


9️⃣ 2. SABIC

Headquarters: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Key Offering: Certified Circular Polymers (from advanced recycling)

SABIC, a global leader in the chemical industry, is pioneering the commercial-scale production of circular polymers through its advanced (chemical) recycling process. This technology converts mixed and challenging plastic waste back into pyrolysis oil, which is then used as a feedstock in SABIC’s steam crackers to produce polymers.

Sustainability Initiatives:

  • Launched the TRUCIRCLE™ portfolio of circular solutions

  • Strategic collaboration with Plastic Energy to build advanced recycling plants in the Netherlands and Saudi Arabia


8️⃣ 3. Carbios

Headquarters: Saint-Beauzire, France
Key Offering: Enzymatic Recycling Technology for PET and PLA

Carbios is a green biotech company developing disruptive biological processes to reinvent the lifecycle of plastic and textile polymers. Its proprietary enzyme-based recycling process depolymerizes PET plastic waste into its core monomers, which can be used to produce virgin-quality PET with a significantly lower carbon footprint.

Sustainability Initiatives:

  • Building the world’s first biological PET recycling plant in collaboration with Indorama Ventures

  • Partnerships with L’Oréal, Nestlé Waters, and PepsiCo to advance enzymatic recycling


7️⃣ 4. Mura Technology

Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
Key Offering: HydroPRS™ (Hydrothermal Plastic Recycling Solution)

Mura Technology’s HydroPRS™ process uses supercritical steam to convert mixed plastic waste, including flexible and multi-layer packaging, back into the chemicals and oils from which they were made. This innovative approach can handle plastics that are traditionally considered non-recyclable.

Sustainability Initiatives:

  • Scaling to 1 million tons of recycling capacity globally by 2025

  • Strategic partnerships with Dow and Igus to deploy HydroPRS™ technology

Download FREE Sample Report: Advanced Plastics Recycling Market – View in Detailed Research Report


6️⃣ 5. Plastic Energy

Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
Key Offering: Chemical Recycling via Thermal Anaerobic Conversion (TAC)

Plastic Energy is a global leader in chemical recycling, with a proven track record of operating commercial-scale recycling plants in Spain. Its TAC technology transforms end-of-life plastic waste into a recycled oil (TACOIL) that replaces fossil fuels in the production of new, food-grade plastics.

Sustainability Initiatives:

  • Operates two commercial plants in Spain with plans for 15+ new plants across Europe and Asia

  • Long-term feedstock supply agreements with retailers and waste management companies


5️⃣ 6. Agilyx

Headquarters: Tigard, Oregon, USA
Key Offering: Advanced Recycling of Polystyrene and Other Plastics

Agilyx is a pioneer in chemically recycling difficult-to-recycle post-use plastics back into virgin-equivalent plastics and low-carbon fuels. The company has developed a proprietary process that converts polystyrene waste back into styrene monomer, the building block for new polystyrene products.

Sustainability Initiatives:

  • Developed the first commercial-scale polystyrene chemical recycling facility

  • Partnership with AmSty to produce circular polystyrene with 50-60% lower GHG emissions


4️⃣ 7. Ioniqa

Headquarters: Eindhoven, Netherlands
Key Offering: Magnetic Smart-Purification Technology for PET Waste

Ioniqa Technologies has developed a breakthrough, magnetic smart-purification technology to close the loop for PET plastics. Its process depolymerizes colored, opaque, and complex PET waste into pure, virgin-grade monomers, enabling infinite recycling of PET materials.

Sustainability Initiatives:

  • Operating a 10,000-ton demonstration plant and scaling to larger facilities

  • Strategic partnerships with Unilever and Indorama Ventures


3️⃣ 8. APK AG

Headquarters: Merseburg, Germany
Key Offering: Newcycling® Technology for Polyolefin Separation

APK AG’s Newcycling® process is a unique solvent-based purification technology that selectively dissolves and separates different types of polyolefins (like LDPE, HDPE, PP) from complex plastic waste streams. This allows for the production of high-quality, pure recyclates suitable for demanding applications.

Sustainability Initiatives:

  • Focused on recycling multi-layer and mixed plastic packaging films

  • Supplying high-quality recyclates to brand owners in the packaging industry


2️⃣ 9. Pyrowave

Headquarters: Montreal, Canada
Key Offering: Catalytic Microwave Depolymerization for Polystyrene

Pyrowave offers a revolutionary modular technology that uses microwaves to depolymerize post-consumer polystyrene waste back into styrene monomer. This process is electrified, enabling a low-carbon footprint and producing a recycled styrene monomer identical to its fossil-based counterpart.

Sustainability Initiatives:

  • Technology recognized for its potential to reduce GHG emissions by over 50%

  • Collaboration with Michelin and other industry leaders to scale the technology


1️⃣ 10. Licella

Headquarters: Sydney, Australia
Key Offering: Cat-HTR™ (Catalytic Hydrothermal Reactor) Platform

Licella’s Cat-HTR™ platform uses supercritical water to chemically recycle end-of-life plastics and biomass into valuable oils and chemicals. This advanced recycling technology can process a wide range of mixed and contaminated plastic waste streams that are not suitable for mechanical recycling.

Sustainability Initiatives:

  • Joint venture with Armstrong Energy to develop advanced recycling facilities in the UK

  • Focus on converting plastic waste into circular crude oil for the chemicals industry

Get Full Report Here: Advanced Plastics Recycling Market – View in Detailed Research Report


🌍 Outlook: The Future of Advanced Plastics Recycling Is Circular and Scalable

The advanced plastics recycling market is at a critical inflection point. While mechanical recycling still handles the majority of recyclable plastics today, advanced technologies are gaining momentum as the solution for complex and contaminated plastic waste streams that would otherwise be landfilled or incinerated.

📈 Key Trends Shaping the Market:

  • Rapid capacity expansion in Europe and North America driven by regulatory support

  • Increasing brand owner commitments to incorporate recycled content in packaging

  • Technological advancements improving the economics and scalability of chemical recycling

  • Growing investment from petrochemical companies integrating advanced recycling into their value chains

Get Full Report Here: Advanced Plastics Recycling Market – View in Detailed Research Report

The companies listed above are not only transforming plastic waste management—they’re building the foundation for a truly circular plastics economy that decouples plastic production from fossil resources.