Innovation in chemical plastics recycling is at an all-time peak, according to a new industry report from Appleyard Lees.
There were a total of 794 patent applications related to chemical plastics recycling in 2023, an increase of more than 6% compared to 2022 (up from 746), but more than double the patent activity five years ago (2019 = 368).
This is one of the findings of the fifth annual edition of Inside Green Innovation: Progress Report, now published.
Chris Mason, partner at Appleyard Leeds, said: “In Europe, the total amount of plastic recycled in general is increasing year on year, but the amount of plastic produced is also increasing. To achieve this, we need to gradually change the amount of plastic recycled.”
Polypropylene and pyrolysis play a central role in chemical recycling
Among the different types of plastics, chemical recycling innovations are mainly focused on polypropylene (PP), which is typically used for food packaging and storage, with 297 patents filed in 2023. This is followed by polyethylene terephthalate (PET) with 288 cases and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) with 277 cases.
Chemical recycling methods, including pyrolysis and thermal recycling, have been on the rise over the past five years, with the former reaching a peak of 333 patent applications in 2023 (up from 325 in 2022), while the latter has slightly decreased from 332 in 2022 to 325 in the latest data.
The technologies covered by the latest patents include a process for producing aldehydes and alcohols from plastic waste using hydroprocessing methods, a method for producing recycled polyolefin resins using extrusion, and a system and method for microwave hydrolytic dechlorination of mixed plastic waste.
Amelia Foster, patent attorney at Appleyard Leeds, added: “Although growth rates have slowed, the overall upward trend is likely to continue given the increasing pressure on manufacturers to adopt a sustainable circular plastics economy and the need to close the gap between plastic waste production and recycling.”
Which countries are leading the way?
South Korea took the top spot in innovation activity for the first time in five years, surpassing the United States and Europe with 215 patent applications, an increase of more than 20% from 2022 (175 applications).
From a corporate perspective, BASF overtook Eastman Chemical to become the top patent applicant in the chemical recycling field, with more than tripling the number of applications filed in 2022, 36 vs. 11.
The number of organizations filing patents for the first time in this field has more than tripled in five years, including research institutes focused on early-stage technology development operating in parallel with large-scale commercialization elsewhere in the field.
Foster said, “Advances in chemical plastics recycling will be driven by a portfolio of ways in which the wide variety of polymers in circulation can be managed together. Political and societal pressures and government initiatives are reinforcing expectations that growth and innovation in chemical recycling will continue.”
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