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Sustainability Simplified™ | Sustainability Basics

Understanding Plastic Recycling Technologies

What Is Chemical Recycling in Packaging?

Chemical recycling refers to a group of technologies that use chemical reactions, solvents, heat or other conversion processes to transform plastic waste into chemical feedstocks, intermediates or other materials that may be used in future manufacturing.

Quick Answer Chemical recycling changes plastic at the molecular or chemical level rather than simply grinding and remelting it.

Depending on the technology, plastic waste may be converted into monomers, oils, gases or other chemical feedstocks that can potentially be used to produce new materials.

Chemical recycling is also sometimes described as advanced recycling. The technologies, outputs, commercial availability and regulatory treatment can vary significantly.

How Chemical Recycling Works Compare Recycling Methods
Chemical Recycling Image Placeholder Show rigid plastic packaging moving through preprocessing, chemical or thermal conversion, feedstock production and potentially back into new plastic resin.

The Fundamental Concept

What Does Chemical Recycling Mean?

Chemical recycling changes the chemical structure of plastic rather than simply changing its physical form.

Mechanical recycling typically keeps the polymer substantially intact while sorting, cleaning, grinding and remelting it.

Chemical recycling takes a different approach. Depending on the technology, plastic can be broken into smaller molecules, monomers or hydrocarbon feedstocks that may then enter additional manufacturing processes.

Packaging Example

Example: Plastic Packaging to Chemical Feedstock

Certain plastic waste streams may be prepared and introduced into a chemical or thermal conversion process.

The resulting output may be a chemical feedstock that can enter additional refining or manufacturing steps before becoming material suitable for a new application.

Key takeaway: Chemical recycling does not simply grind a bottle into recycled plastic. It changes the material into chemical building blocks or feedstocks that may be used again.

The Simplified Process

How Does Chemical Recycling Work?

Chemical recycling is not one single technology. The process depends on the resin, waste stream and conversion method.

1
Collection Plastic waste enters an appropriate collection or recovery stream.
2
Preparation Material may be sorted, cleaned, shredded or otherwise prepared.
3
Conversion Chemical, solvent or thermal processes transform the material.
4
Feedstock The process produces monomers, oils or other chemical outputs.
5
New Material Suitable feedstocks may enter manufacturing processes for new materials.

Different Technologies

What Types of Chemical Recycling Are Used?

The term chemical recycling can include several different technologies, each with different inputs, outputs and applications.

Depolymerization

Certain polymers can be broken into monomers or smaller chemical building blocks that may potentially be purified and used again.

Pyrolysis

Plastic may be heated in a low-oxygen or oxygen-limited environment to create hydrocarbon products such as oils, gases or other outputs.

Solvent-Based Processes

Some technologies use solvents to dissolve, separate or purify polymer material from additives or contaminants.

Why It Matters

Why Is Chemical Recycling Discussed in Packaging Sustainability?

Chemical recycling is being explored as one potential pathway for certain plastic waste streams that may be difficult to process through conventional mechanical recycling. Its practical role depends on the technology, material stream, economics, environmental impacts, infrastructure and end market.

Complex Waste Streams
Material Recovery
Feedstock Production
Circularity Goals
Technology-Specific Results

Side-by-Side Comparison

Mechanical Recycling vs. Chemical Recycling

Question Mechanical Recycling Chemical Recycling
What happens to the polymer? The plastic is physically processed while the polymer remains substantially intact. The plastic is chemically or thermally transformed into smaller molecules, chemical feedstocks or other outputs.
Typical processing Sorting, washing, grinding, melting and pelletizing. Depolymerization, pyrolysis, solvent processing or other conversion methods.
Typical output Recycled flakes or resin. Monomers, oils, chemical feedstocks or purified polymer, depending on the process.
Can the output become new packaging? Potentially, if the recycled resin meets the application's requirements. Potentially, after additional processing and when the resulting material meets the application's requirements.
Is one always better? No. Appropriate recovery pathways depend on material, waste stream, technology, infrastructure, performance, economics and environmental considerations.

What Packaging Buyers Need to Know

Does Chemical Recycling Automatically Create New Packaging?

No. There can be multiple steps between plastic waste and a new bottle, jar or closure.

Chemical-recycling outputs may need additional purification, refining, polymerization or manufacturing before they become a resin suitable for rigid packaging.

The final material must still meet the product, processing, performance, regulatory and supply requirements of the packaging application.

Feedstock-to-Packaging Image Placeholder Show chemical feedstock moving through resin production and then into a realistic rigid bottle or jar manufacturing process.

Related Concept

Why Is Mass Balance Often Discussed With Chemical Recycling?

Some supply chains combine recycled or renewable feedstocks with conventional feedstocks in shared production systems.

In those situations, a mass-balance accounting approach may be used to track and allocate the amount of attributed recycled feedstock through the system.

That does not necessarily mean the exact molecules from a specific recycled input can be physically identified in a specific package. Mass balance is an accounting and chain-of-custody concept, which is why claims and documentation need to be clearly understood.

Practical Decision Making

What Should Manufacturers Evaluate?

Technology & Material Questions

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What recycling technology is being used?
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What waste stream is accepted?
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What output does the process produce?
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What additional processing is required?
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Is mass-balance accounting involved?

Packaging & Business Questions

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Is the resulting material suitable for the product?
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Does it meet performance requirements?
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What certifications or documentation are available?
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What environmental claim can be supported?
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What are the cost and supply implications?

Common Misconceptions

What Should Packaging Buyers Avoid Assuming?

“Chemical recycling is one single technology.” It is an umbrella term that can include multiple technologies with different processes, inputs and outputs.
“Chemical recycling always turns waste directly into a new bottle.” The output may require several additional manufacturing steps before becoming resin suitable for packaging.
“Chemical recycling replaces mechanical recycling.” The two approaches can serve different materials and waste streams. Neither automatically eliminates the need for the other.
“Any chemical-recycling claim means the same thing.” Technology, accounting methods, certifications and claim language can differ, so documentation matters.
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Sustainability Simplified™ in Under a Minute

What Is Chemical Recycling?

Suggested Narration

“Chemical recycling uses chemical or thermal processes to transform plastic waste into feedstocks or building blocks that may be used to make new materials. Unlike mechanical recycling, which physically cleans, grinds and remelts plastic, chemical recycling changes the material at a molecular or chemical level. Different technologies produce different outputs, so the process and claims need to be evaluated carefully.”

When the video is published, include its transcript as HTML text on the page.

Sustainability Simplified™ — At a Glance

Three Things to Remember About Chemical Recycling

It Changes the Material Chemically Chemical recycling converts plastic into chemical building blocks, feedstocks or other outputs.
It Is Not One Technology Depolymerization, pyrolysis and solvent-based processes can operate very differently.
Documentation Matters Technology, feedstock accounting, certification and claim language should be understood before making packaging claims.

Frequently Asked Questions

Chemical Recycling FAQs

What is chemical recycling?
Chemical recycling refers to technologies that use chemical, solvent-based or thermal processes to transform plastic waste into chemical building blocks, feedstocks or other materials that may be used in future manufacturing.
Is chemical recycling the same as advanced recycling?
The terms are sometimes used interchangeably, although terminology can vary by company, technology, industry and jurisdiction.
How is chemical recycling different from mechanical recycling?
Mechanical recycling physically sorts, cleans and reprocesses plastic while keeping the polymer substantially intact. Chemical recycling transforms plastic chemically or thermally into smaller molecules, feedstocks or other outputs.
What is depolymerization?
Depolymerization is a process that breaks certain polymers into smaller chemical units or monomers that may potentially be purified and used to manufacture new material.
What is pyrolysis?
Pyrolysis uses heat in a low-oxygen or oxygen-limited environment to convert plastic into hydrocarbon products such as oils, gases or other chemical outputs.
Can chemically recycled material be used in packaging?
Potentially. The resulting feedstock or resin must meet the performance, regulatory, product-compatibility and manufacturing requirements of the intended packaging application.
What is mass balance in chemical recycling?
Mass balance is an accounting approach used in some shared production systems to track and allocate attributed recycled or renewable feedstock when it is mixed with conventional feedstocks.
Does chemical recycling eliminate the need for mechanical recycling?
No. Different recycling pathways may be appropriate for different materials and waste streams. Mechanical recycling remains important for many established recycling streams.
Is chemical recycling always environmentally better?
Not automatically. Environmental performance depends on the specific technology, energy use, feedstock, transportation, process yield, outputs, system boundaries and alternative waste-management pathway. Comparative claims should be supported by appropriate analysis.

Evaluating Sustainable Packaging Materials

The Recycling Technology Is Only One Part of the Packaging Decision.

Empire EMCO helps manufacturers evaluate rigid packaging solutions based on resin, recycled-content requirements, package performance, product compatibility, supplier capabilities, regulatory requirements, documentation, sourcing, availability, cost and sustainability goals.

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Educational Information: Sustainability Simplified™ provides general packaging education and is not intended as legal, regulatory, recycling-certification, formal Life Cycle Assessment or environmental-claims advice. Chemical-recycling technologies, classifications, environmental impacts, accounting approaches and regulatory treatment vary by process, supplier, jurisdiction and application. Manufacturers should confirm current requirements, documentation and claim substantiation for the specific packaging program.