Top 10 Companies in the Plastic Waste Management Market (2026): Global Leaders Driving Circular Economy Solutions

In Business Insights
January 24, 2026


The Global Plastic Waste Management Market was valued at USD 32.54 Billion in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 42.10 Billion by 2032, growing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 4.7% during the forecast period (2025–2032). This growth is being driven by stringent government regulations, rising environmental awareness, and the accelerating adoption of circular economy and advanced recycling technologies across municipal, industrial, and commercial sectors.

As the world grapples with over 400 million metric tons of plastic waste generated annually, the industry is transforming through innovation and large-scale infrastructure investments. In this blog, we profile the Top 10 Companies in the Plastic Waste Management Industry—a mix of global waste management giants, recycling specialists, and sustainability pioneers shaping the future of resource recovery.


🔟 1. Veolia Environnement

Headquarters: Paris, France
Key Offering: Collection, Sorting, Mechanical & Chemical Recycling, Waste-to-Energy

Veolia Environnement is the world’s leading plastic waste management company, operating across 48 countries with an annual turnover exceeding €42 billion. Their integrated services cover the entire waste management value chain, from collection and sorting to advanced recycling and energy recovery. They operate over 400 water and waste facilities globally, processing millions of tons of plastic annually.

Sustainability Initiatives:

  • Target to produce 610,000 metric tons of recycled polymers by 2025

  • Investment in chemical recycling technologies like pyrolysis

  • Commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050

Download FREE Sample Report: Plastic Waste Management Market – View in Detailed Research Report


9️⃣ 2. Suez Environnement

Headquarters: Paris, France (now part of Veolia)
Key Offering: Waste Collection, Recycling, Recovery Solutions

Following its merger with Veolia, Suez brings complementary expertise in water and waste management, creating a European powerhouse. The combined entity operates more than 400 water and waste treatment plants globally, with Suez having previously managed waste for over 40 million people worldwide and operating 330 water and waste treatment facilities.

Sustainability Initiatives:

  • Development of smart waste collection systems using IoT technology

  • Advanced sorting facilities with AI-powered recognition systems


8️⃣ 3. Waste Management, Inc.

Headquarters: Houston, Texas, USA
Key Offering: Collection, Recycling, Landfill, Waste-to-Energy

Waste Management is North America’s leading comprehensive waste management environmental services provider, serving over 21 million customers. The company operates the largest network of recycling facilities in North America, including over 100 material recovery facilities that process more than 7 million tons of recyclables annually.

Sustainability Initiatives:

  • Goal to increase plastic recovery by 40% by 2030

  • Investment in $800 million in recycling infrastructure upgrades


7️⃣ 4. Republic Services

Headquarters: Phoenix, Arizona, USA
Key Offering: Recycling, Landfill, Environmental Services

Republic Services is the second-largest provider of non-hazardous solid waste collection, transfer, disposal, recycling, and energy services in the United States. The company serves commercial, industrial, municipal, and residential customers through 350 collection operations and 200 transfer stations.

Sustainability Initiatives:

  • Commitment to increase recycling investment to $1 billion by 2026

  • Partnerships with major brands for recycled plastic offtake agreements


6️⃣ 5. Remondis SE & Co. KG

Headquarters: Lünen, Germany
Key Offering: Recycling, Water Management, Service Logistics

Remondis is one of the world’s largest privately-owned recycling, service, and water companies, operating in over 30 countries across Europe, Asia, and Australia. The company processes approximately 30 million metric tons of recyclables annually, including significant volumes of plastic waste through advanced sorting and recycling facilities.

Sustainability Initiatives:

  • Operation of one of Europe’s largest plastic recycling plants

  • Development of closed-loop recycling systems for PET and HDPE

Download FREE Sample Report: Plastic Waste Management Market – View in Detailed Research Report


5️⃣ 6. Biffa plc

Headquarters: High Wycombe, United Kingdom
Key Offering: Waste Collection, Recycling, Resource Recovery

Biffa is a leading UK-based integrated waste management company serving over 2.4 million households and 80,000 business customers. The company operates one of the most advanced plastic recycling facilities in Europe, capable of processing over 120,000 tonnes of plastic bottles annually into food-grade recycled PET.

Sustainability Initiatives:

  • Investment of £12.5 million in plastic recycling infrastructure

  • Target to quadruple UK plastic recycling capacity by 2030


4️⃣ 7. Clean Harbors, Inc.

Headquarters: Norwell, Massachusetts, USA
Key Offering: Hazardous Waste Management, Recycling, Environmental Services

Clean Harbors is North America’s leading provider of environmental and industrial services, specializing in hazardous waste management, recycling, and disposal. The company operates the largest network of hazardous waste incinerators and landfills in North America, providing critical infrastructure for plastic waste that cannot be economically recycled.

Sustainability Initiatives:

  • Advanced plastic waste processing for energy recovery

  • Specialized recycling services for industrial plastic waste streams


3️⃣ 8. Covanta Holding Corporation

Headquarters: Morristown, New Jersey, USA
Key Offering: Waste-to-Energy, Material Recovery, Environmental Solutions

Covanta is a world leader in sustainable waste and energy solutions, operating 41 waste-to-energy facilities across North America. The company processes over 20 million tons of waste annually, recovering metals and generating renewable energy while reducing landfill dependence for non-recyclable plastics.

Sustainability Initiatives:

  • Recovery of over 500,000 tons of metal annually from waste streams

  • Development of advanced recycling technologies for complex plastics


2️⃣ 9. Hitachi Zosen Corporation

Headquarters: Osaka, Japan
Key Offering: Waste Treatment Plants, Recycling Systems, Environmental Solutions

Hitachi Zosen is a leading Japanese engineering company specializing in waste treatment plants, recycling systems, and environmental conservation. The company has designed and built numerous advanced plastic recycling facilities across Asia, incorporating sophisticated sorting and processing technologies.

Sustainability Initiatives:

  • Development of chemical recycling technologies for mixed plastics

  • Implementation of smart waste management systems using AI and IoT


1️⃣ 10. Stericycle, Inc.

Headquarters: Bannockburn, Illinois, USA
Key Offering: Medical Waste, Compliance, Recycling Solutions

Stericycle is a leading provider of regulated waste management and compliance solutions, specializing in healthcare waste streams that include significant volumes of plastic materials. The company serves over 500,000 customers across North America, Europe, and other international markets.

Sustainability Initiatives:

  • Development of specialized recycling programs for medical plastics

  • Implementation of circular economy principles in healthcare waste streams

Get Full Report Here: Plastic Waste Management Market – View in Detailed Research Report


🌍 Outlook: The Future of Plastic Waste Management Is Circular and Technology-Driven

The plastic waste management market is undergoing a fundamental transformation. While conventional disposal methods still handle the majority of plastic waste, the industry is investing billions in advanced recycling technologies, circular economy models, and digital waste management solutions.

📈 Key Trends Shaping the Market:

  • Rapid expansion of chemical recycling capacity in Europe and North America

  • Regulatory push for extended producer responsibility (EPR) schemes globally

  • Digitalization of waste collection and sorting through AI and IoT technologies

  • Corporate commitments to use 25-50% recycled content in packaging by 2030

Get Full Report Here: Plastic Waste Management Market – View in Detailed Research Report

The companies listed above are not only managing global plastic waste—they’re pioneering the circular economy transition that will redefine resource management for generations to come.