Future of Chemical Recycling in Europe: Development Directions Towards 2030
Europe is entering one of the most important stages of transformation in the plastics market. For years, chemical recycling was treated as a complementary solution, developed mainly in pilot and demonstration projects. Today, it is becoming an integral part of European strategies related to the circular economy.
Regulatory changes, market expectations and technological progress clearly indicate:
by 2030, chemical recycling will become one of the key pillars of Europe’s raw-materials policy.
Below I present the most important development directions that are already shaping the market.
1. Dynamic increase in the capacity of pyrolysis and hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL)
By the end of the decade, Europe is expected to see a significant increase in the processing capacity of installations for:
• pyrolysis of polyolefin plastics,
• hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL),
• technologies combining various thermochemical processes.
This results from growing demand for alternative feedstocks to petrochemical products and from regulatory pressure to increase the share of circular materials in supply chains.
In practice, this means higher demand for stable, high-quality feedstock and for technical competence in its evaluation.
2. Intensive development of PET and polyamide (PA) depolymerisation
Chemical recycling of polyesters and polyamides is currently developing faster than any other technology in this segment.
Depolymerisation enables the recovery of virgin-grade monomers, which is crucial for:
• the packaging industry,
• textile manufacturers,
• sectors requiring the highest material purity (food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals).
It is estimated that by 2030, depolymerisation will become one of the main sources of recycled material corresponding to the quality of virgin feedstock.
3. Standardisation of pyrolysis-oil quality
One of the biggest development barriers remains the variability of pyrolysis-oil quality.
In the coming years, European institutions, chemical companies and technology suppliers will aim to:
• standardise oil-quality parameters,
• introduce consistent analytical norms,
• improve purification and stabilisation methods for liquid fractions.
Standardisation is a necessary condition for chemical-recycling products to be fully integrated into traditional petrochemical processes — especially steam crackers.
4. Integration of chemical recycling with refineries and olefin installations
By 2030, most chemical-recycling installations will operate in a model of direct cooperation with:
• refineries,
• steam-cracking units,
• chemical-production plants.
This approach:
• reduces logistics costs,
• ensures stable feedstock demand,
• allows use of existing energy and chemical infrastructure,
• increases predictability of product parameters.
As a result, the importance of feedstock quality delivered by waste-management companies will grow, and they will be required to meet increasingly strict standards.
5. Expanding regulatory obligations related to recycled content
EU regulations announced in 2025 are only the first step.
By 2030, we can expect:
• mandatory levels of material recyclate in additional sectors (packaging, textiles, electronics, automotive),
• more detailed mass-balance rules,
• third-party material audits,
• clearer distinction between material vs. energy recycling,
• new reporting obligations resulting from the CSRD directive and EU taxonomy.
In practice, this means that chemical recycling will become both a production technology and a strategic environmental-responsibility tool for companies.
What does this mean for companies?
The market will require competencies:
• technological — feedstock assessment, interpretation of material parameters, understanding process limitations,
• analytical — understanding regulations, mass-balance rules, reporting methods,
• strategic — technology selection, feasibility evaluation, building partnerships within the supply chain.
Companies that prepare early will gain a competitive advantage over those reacting only after full regulatory implementation.
How Rolbatch supports organisations in this area
Rolbatch develops on request:
• specialised online training available in fourteen languages,
• strategic and technical reports on chemical-recycling processes,
• custom analyses tailored to the waste type, technology and company profile.
We define the scope individually to ensure alignment with:
• the client’s operational specifics,
• the material streams they handle,
• the technologies considered for investment,
• customer and regulatory requirements.
This ensures companies receive practical, goal-oriented knowledge aligned with their needs for the coming years.
See also:
👉 RECYCLING & SUSTAINABILITY
See more articles on: “chemical recycling” → https://www.rolbatch.eu/blogs/rolbatch-academy-online-trainings/tagged/chemical-recycling-challenges
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