Innovation in chemical plastic recycling has reached an all-time peak, according to a new industry report by Appleyard Lees.
Patent filings for chemical plastic recycling in 2023 totalled 794: a more than 6% increase on 2022 (up from 746) but more than doubling the patent activity of five years before (2019 = 368).
This is one of the findings in the fifth annual edition of the now-published “Inside Green Innovation: Progress Report”.
Appleyard Lees’ partner, Chris Mason, said: “While in Europe the total amount of plastic being recycled is generally increasing year on year, so is the amount of plastic being produced. This needs a step-change in the amount of plastic being recycled.”
Polypropylene and pyrolysis in pole positions for chemical recycling
Among the various plastic types, chemical recycling innovation has focused mostly on Polypropylene (PP) – typically used for food packaging and storage, with 297 patent applications in 2023 – followed by polyethylene terephthalate (PET) with 288 filings and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) with 277.
Chemical recycling methods, including pyrolysis and thermal recycling, have seen mostly an upward trajectory in the past five years, with the former attaining a peak in 2023 of 333 patent applications (up from 325 in 2022), while the latter fell slightly from 332 in 2022 to 325 in the latest data.
Technologies covered by the latest patents include processes for manufacturing aldehydes and alcohols from plastic waste using a hydroprocessing method, methods for producing a regenerated polyolefinresin using extrusion, and systems and methods for microwave hydrolytic dechlorination of mixed plastic waste.
Amelia Foster, patent attorney at Appleyard Lees, added: “Despite a slowing of the growth rate, the overall upward trend will likely continue, given growing pressure on manufacturers to embrace a sustainable, circular plastic economy and the need to close the gap between the amount of plastic waste produced and recycled.”
Which countries are leading the charge?
For the first time in five years, South Korea has taken top spot in innovation activity – outpacing both the US and Europe with 215 patent filings, a more than 20% increase on 2022 (175 filings).
From a corporate perspective, BASF has now overtaken Eastman Chemical as the top patent filer in chemical recycling, with more than triple the filings in 2022 (36 versus 11).
The number of organisations filing patents in this area for the first time has more than tripled over five years, including research institutions focused on early-stage technology development, operating alongside the large-scale commercialisation elsewhere in the sector.
Foster said: “Progress in chemical plastics recycling will come from a portfolio of methods that together can manage the wide variety of polymers in circulation. The political and societal pressure, along with government initiatives, reinforces the expectation that chemical recycling growth and innovation are set to continue.”
