Physical/Chemical Recycling: Last Resort or Lifeline for the Circular Economy?

As plastic waste becomes a global concern, physical and chemical recycling have emerged as key topics in circular economy discussions. The U.S. Plastics Pact's November 2025 position paper clarifies their role: complementary solutions under strict regulatory frameworks, not replacements for reduction, reuse, or mechanical recycling.

Defining Recycling Technologies (per ISO/CD 15270-1.3)

· Mechanical recycling: Traditional method involving cleaning, shredding, and extrusion without altering polymer structures.

· Physical recycling: Solvent-based purification/dissolution to remove contaminants, preserving polymer integrity.

· Chemical recycling: Thermal/chemical processes (depolymerization, pyrolysis) breaking polymers into molecular building blocks.

· Organic/bio-recycling: Biodegradation via biological processes (energy/fuel conversion excluded from material recycling).

Core Value of Physical/Chemical Recycling

· Tackle hard-to-recycle materials: Films, flexible packaging, food/medical packaging, and textiles.

· Enhance recycled material quality: Molecular-level processing enables food-contact/medical-grade applications.

· Reduce virgin plastic reliance: Boosts high-quality recycled plastic supply, cutting fossil fuel dependency.

· Improve recycling economics: Converts landfilled waste into valuable feedstock.

DATABEYOND's Reliable Support Across Key Sorting Scenarios

While physical/chemical recycling addresses complex waste streams, precise pre-sorting is critical to their efficiency. DATABEYOND powers global resource recycling efforts with thousands of optical sorters deployed worldwide, delivering intelligent sorting services to recyclers across the globe. Our solutions cover all the hard-to-recycle scenarios highlighted: film sorting, textile sorting, engineering plastic sorting, food-grade packaging sorting, and medical recyclables sorting—providing a solid foundation for high-value, sustainable recycling chains.