Plastic waste pyrolysis in 2026: overview
Plastic waste pyrolysis uses heat, with little or no oxygen, to break discarded plastics into oils, gases and solid carbon products. It is attracting interest as a route for mixed or contaminated plastics that are difficult to recycle mechanically. But the process does not automatically produce a usable feedstock: variable waste composition can shift product quality, while oils may need substantial upgrading before they meet refinery or chemical-industry specifications.
Recent work combines catalyst development with more targeted product routes. In September 2026, researchers at Huazhong University of Science and Technology studied how Al2O3 support properties affect conductive carbon nanotubes from plastic pyrolysis; Zhejiang University researchers reported regenerable perovskite catalysts for CO2 reforming of pyrolysis gas. In August 2026, Aalto University researchers investigated denitrogenation of pyrolysis oil. Commercial activity is also moving toward defined outputs: Niutech signed a sales contract in September 2026 for a continuous line intended to produce sustainable aviation fuel feedstock.
- 1Quality is the hinge: Catalysts and oil-cleanup steps are increasingly aimed at producing outputs with specifications that refineries and chemical producers can use.
- 2Beyond liquid fuels: Research into carbon nanotubes and hydrogen broadens the value proposition beyond conventional fuel oil and chemical feedstocks.
- 3Scale-up remains hard: Mixed feedstocks, catalyst durability, process costs and uncertainty in product value remain barriers to reliable commercial operation.
Top organizations working on plastic waste pyrolysis
Ranked by Linknovate activity score · last 24 monthsThe activity score adds up the relevance of every patent, publication, grant and news item linking an organization to plastic waste pyrolysis. Showing 7 of 641 organizations.
| # | Organization | Approach | Signals (24 mo) | Momentum | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 
BASF
Corporate · Germany |
General | PAT 33 · PUB 1 NEWS 97 |
+5% | Recently, BASF filed a process patent for separating steam-cracker feedstock from streams containing plastic pyrolysis oil, addressing feed preparation for chemical recycling. |
| 2 | 
Huazhong University of Science and Technology
Research · China |
Catalytic pyrolysis | PUB 17 · NEWS 8 | +217% | Recently, HUST researchers studied catalytic pyrolysis of waste plastics to produce carbon nanotubes, examining catalyst-support properties and routes to uniform nanotube products. |
| 3 | 
Korea Institute of Energy Research
Research · South Korea |
General | PUB 4 · NEWS 11 | -85% | KIER researchers are developing an integrated process to address limitations of waste-plastic pyrolysis, with work led by its Bioenergy and Resources Upcycling Research Laboratory. |
| 4 | 
Ghent University
Research · Belgium |
Staged vapor upgrading | PUB 34 · NEWS 2 | -20% | Recently, Ghent University researchers designed and assessed a mixed-plastic-to-olefins process using sequential conversion steps. Its research also targets catalytic upgrading and purification of plastic pyrolysis oils. |
| 5 | 
Nanjing Normal University
Research · China |
Catalytic pyrolysis | PUB 7 · NEWS 8 | new | Recently, Nanjing Normal University researchers studied catalytic pyrolysis routes that turn waste plastics into thin-walled, uniform carbon nanotubes. |
| 6 | 
Chinese Academy of Sciences CAS
Research · China |
Catalytic pyrolysis | PUB 28 · NEWS 2 | +14% | CAS researchers investigate catalysts for converting plastic waste into fuels and chemicals, including zeolite- and carbon-based catalysts for pyrolysis. |
| 7 | N
Niutech
Corporate |
Thermal pyrolysis | NEWS 18 | +57% | Recently, Niutech signed a sales contract with a global energy company for a continuous waste-plastic pyrolysis line intended to produce sustainable aviation fuel feedstock. |
| 8 | ··Hidden organizationCompany | Approach | PAT 00 · PUB 00 GRANTS 0 · NEWS 00 | +00% | Available to registered users. |
| 9 | ··Hidden organizationCompany | Approach | PAT 00 · PUB 00 GRANTS 0 · NEWS 00 | +00% | Available to registered users. |
| 10 | ··Hidden organizationCompany | Approach | PAT 00 · PUB 00 GRANTS 0 · NEWS 00 | +00% | Available to registered users. |
Leading research centers
Leading research institutions 542 total
- Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyChinaRecently, HUST researchers studied catalytic pyrolysis of waste plastics to produce carbon nanotubes, examining catalyst-support properties and routes to uniform nanotube products.
- Korea Institute of Energy ResearchSouth KoreaKIER researchers are developing an integrated process to address limitations of waste-plastic pyrolysis, with work led by its Bioenergy and Resources Upcycling Research Laboratory.
- Ghent UniversityBelgiumRecently, Ghent University researchers designed and assessed a mixed-plastic-to-olefins process using sequential conversion steps. Its research also targets catalytic upgrading and purification of plastic pyrolysis oils.
- ··Hidden research institutionCountryAvailable to registered users, with their key researchers.
- ··Hidden research institutionCountryAvailable to registered users, with their key researchers.
Where plastic waste pyrolysis innovation happens
Share of documents with at least one organization from each country.
Open the interactive map with all 641 organizationsMain technical approaches
Last 24 months| Approach | What it is | Documents | Leading organizations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thermal pyrolysis | Heats plastic without oxygen to produce oil, gas and char; it is comparatively direct but often yields complex products that need further treatment. | 250 |
Korea Institute of Energy Research, SRF Limited, BTX Corporation |
| Catalytic pyrolysis | Uses catalysts to steer product composition toward selected fuels or chemicals, but catalyst deactivation and feed impurities can complicate operation. | 362 |
Ghent University, University of Seoul, Chinese Academy of Sciences CAS |
| Co-pyrolysis | Processes plastics with another feedstock to influence product yield and composition, but results depend on matching feedstocks and managing variability. | 215 |
SK Innovation Co., University of Seoul, South China University of Technology |
| Microwave-assisted pyrolysis | Uses microwave energy to heat feedstock, with potential process-control benefits but unresolved challenges around electrification costs and scale-up. | 160 |
Shihezi University, Sun Yat Sen University, Engineering |
| Staged vapor upgrading | Separates pyrolysis from downstream vapor conversion to target specific products, but adds process steps and equipment complexity. | 80 |
Shihezi University, Ghent University, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences |
Emerging trends
Last 12 months vs previous 36 monthsTerms whose frequency in the last 12 months grew the most compared with the previous 36 months.
Funding and investment
Recent funding rounds
Recorded grant funding totals $65.7 million across 29 grants since 2020. The funding-round figures include broad corporate and infrastructure transactions and should not be treated as pyrolysis-specific project finance.
Patent landscape
Top patent holders · last 24 monthsRecent developments
Latest news, duplicates removed- Oct 2026Axens S.A. (Rueil-Malmaison, France)], a global leader in process technologies for refining, petrochemicals, and circular economy applications, has been selected by a U.S.-based investor and project developer to provide…Chemical Engineering
- Sep 2026Niutech Technology Group Co., Ltd. (abbreviated as “Niutech”), a global supplier of industrial continuous pyrolysis solutions, has signed a sales contract with a global energy major for an Industrial Continuous Waste…Bio-based News
- Sep 2026Around the world, the demand for cleaner alternatives to petroleum-based jet fuel is rising. By 2030, the European Union will require a minimum sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) blend of 6 percent, which will rise to 70…Futurism
- Aug 2026BioBTX B.V. (Groningen, Netherlands) is building its world’s first commercial-scale plant to transform mixed plastic waste into high-quality aromatic chemicals based on its in-house developed ICCP (Integrated Catalytic…Chemical Engineering
- Month 20XXHidden developmentAvailable to registered users with alerts enabled.
Frequently asked questions about plastic waste pyrolysis
What companies are working on plastic waste pyrolysis?
BASF, SK Innovation Co., TotalEnergies SE, Eastman Chemical Company, Niutech and LyondellBasell Industries are among the companies active in this field. Their work spans patents, process development and commercial activity, including pyrolysis-oil upgrading, continuous processing and chemical-recycling projects. Plastic Energy is another company whose process converts end-of-life plastics into pyrolysis oil.
Which plastic waste pyrolysis startups are the most promising in 2026?
No startups appear in the startup subset of FACTS, so it does not support a comparative shortlist of the most promising startups for 2026. Companies with recent activity include Niutech, Plastic Energy and BioBTX, but the available information identifies them as companies or technology developers rather than members of that startup subset. A ranking would require comparable evidence on performance, scale and financing.
Which universities and research centers lead plastic waste pyrolysis research?
Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Ghent University and the Korea Institute of Energy Research are among the prominent research organizations in the field. Recent work at Huazhong University of Science and Technology examines carbon nanotube production, while Ghent University studies mixed-plastic-to-olefins conversion and oil upgrading. The research list also includes the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
How much funding has plastic waste pyrolysis received?
The recorded total is $65.7 million across 29 grants since 2020. This figure refers to grants, not all capital associated with companies or industrial projects. The broader funding-round data includes corporate and infrastructure transactions that may not be specific to plastic waste pyrolysis, so it should not be interpreted as dedicated sector investment.
Who holds the most plastic waste pyrolysis patents?
BASF leads the listed patent holders with 33 patents, followed by SK Innovation Co. with 20 and LG Corp with 14. TotalEnergies SE has 10, and Eastman Chemical Company has 8. The patent-holder figures identify organizations with relevant patent activity; they do not by themselves indicate commercial deployment or the value of the patents.
Is plastic waste pyrolysis patent activity growing?
No: patent activity in the defined window is down 51.9%, with 231 patents recorded. This decline contrasts with the field’s continuing research on catalysts, oil upgrading and new product routes. The patent trend is a measure of filing activity, not a direct measure of investment, technical progress or deployment.
What are the latest developments in plastic waste pyrolysis?
September 2026 research examined Al2O3-supported catalysts for conductive carbon nanotubes and regenerable perovskites for CO2 reforming of pyrolysis gas. In September 2026, Niutech also signed a sales contract for a continuous line intended to produce sustainable aviation fuel feedstock. These developments illustrate parallel efforts to improve product selectivity and connect pyrolysis outputs to defined end uses.
Which countries lead plastic waste pyrolysis?
The United States leads with 3,024 documents, followed by China with 1,420, India with 1,012 and the United Kingdom with 987. Germany follows with 774. These figures indicate where recorded research and industry activity is concentrated; they do not measure installed capacity or the volume of plastic processed.
What are the applications of plastic waste pyrolysis?
The applications include petrochemical production, carbon materials, energy generation, transportation fuels, and refinery or cracker feedstocks. Petrochemical production has 622 associated documents, while carbon materials has 258 and transportation fuels has 162. Product choice depends on feedstock composition, process design and the degree of upgrading needed to meet end-user requirements.
What are the main approaches in plastic waste pyrolysis and how do they differ?
The main approaches are thermal pyrolysis, catalytic pyrolysis, co-pyrolysis, microwave-assisted pyrolysis and staged vapor upgrading. Thermal processing breaks plastics down with heat; catalysts steer product composition; co-pyrolysis combines feedstocks; microwave systems use a different heating method; and staged upgrading adds downstream conversion. They trade process simplicity against product control, feedstock flexibility and scale-up demands.