The 16th North America (United States, Mexico)

Plastic recycling industry inspection

Registration has started! ! !

With the global " Circular plastic economy "With the continuous strengthening of the concept, chemical recycling technology is ushering in a period of significant growth. According to the UK Intellectual Property and Technology Innovation Office Appleyard Lees The latest report released by the organization - which has long focused on patent trend analysis, intellectual property strategy and sustainable innovation research - shows that, Global patent applications for chemical plastic recycling technology reached 794 in 2023 , an increase of about 6% from 746 cases in 2022, and double the number of 368 cases in 2019. This record-breaking growth trend reflects that the global industry's investment enthusiasm and technological innovation vitality in plastic recycling and reuse are continuing to rise.

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The meaning behind the wave of innovation

In a context where traditional mechanical recycling still dominates, The rise of chemical recycling methods marks a new direction in tackling more complex, multicomponent plastic waste streams . The report points out that chemical recycling is increasingly becoming a key link in the face of pressure on manufacturers to adopt recyclable packaging and increase recycling rates. In addition, the growth trend in the number of patents also reflects the continued increase in R&D investment and innovation power.

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Focus on plastic types and technology paths

In terms of plastic types, the three categories with the most patent applications in 2023 are: polypropylene (PP) 297, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) 288, and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) 277. On the technical path, Pyrolysis still dominates the chemical recycling patent layout, reaching 333 patents in 2023 , while thermal recycling fell slightly to 325 pieces (332 pieces in 2022). These data show that R&D hotspots are focusing on new processes that can deal with mixed and highly polluting plastic waste, showing the industry's emphasis on efficient, closed-loop recycling solutions.

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Regional and corporate trends

Geographically, in 2023 for the first time by South Korea ranks first in the world with 215 patent applications , an increase of more than 20% compared to 2022. At the enterprise level, German chemicals giant BASF SE has overtaken Eastman Chemical Company as the largest patent applicant in the field , with 36 applications in 2023 (11 in 2022). The report also pointed out that the number of organizations entering this field to apply for patents for the first time has more than tripled in the past five years, showing that the activity of new entrants and scientific research institutions is increasing.

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Challenges and constraints

Despite a record number of applications, there are still challenges to achieving a truly “circular plastics economy.” Appleyard Lees states: Global plastic production continues to rise , and the recycling speed needs to be further accelerated; mechanical recycling alone is difficult to deal with contaminated, mixed materials or composite plastic flows. If chemical recycling is to achieve commercial scale and cost advantages, it still requires multiple coordination of policies, supervision, funds and infrastructure. In other words, although innovation is welcome, it The “last mile” from laboratory to industrialization It is still a problem of widespread concern in the industry.

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New Observations: Implications for Industry and Policy

For brands, plastics processors and recycling infrastructure providers, patent trends indicate "New materials + new processes" is maturing. Therefore, in product design, packaging strategy and raw material procurement, more attention should be paid to dimensions such as "recyclability", "recyclability" and "chemical recycling compatibility". At the same time, from a policy perspective, technological innovation provides the possibility to achieve recycling rates, recycled content ratios and plastic recycling goals, provided that innovation results can be quickly transformed into actual production capacity and market applications.

Outlook: Can innovation be translated into action? The patent filing peak in 2023 is encouraging, but it’s just the starting point. The true transformation of chemical recycling requires the realization of large-scale technology, mature business models, improvement of regulatory policies and coordination of the industrial chain. The next few years will test whether these innovations can cross the "R&D-Business-Infrastructure" gap and bring Increased recycling volume, stable supply of recycled plastics, and product design changes . If it can be successfully implemented, the plastic recycling industry is expected to usher in a qualitative leap.

(Source: Appleyard Lees )

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North American waste plastic market investigation

New Observation of Waste Plastics will organize the "16th North American (United States, Mexico) Plastic Recycling Industry Investigation" from February 22 to March 5, 2026. Registration is now officially launched.

This delegation will organize conferences and in-depth visits to many places in the United States and Mexico. The itinerary will cover San Diego, Los Angeles, Houston, Tijuana, Las Vegas and other places. It plans to visit a number of plastic recycling companies, equipment manufacturers, trading companies and product companies that use recycled materials. Through field research, discussion exchanges and exhibition participation, team members will understand the dynamics of the North American market, build a high-quality business network, and promote trade and technical cooperation between China and the United States in the field of plastic recycling.

Investigation plan (proposed)