It sounds like a silver bullet: plastic waste broken back down into its molecular building blocks, then rebuilt into brand-new packaging—again and again, infinitely recyclable.
This is the promise of chemical recycling, also known as “advanced recycling,” and it’s being pushed hard by the plastic and fossil fuel industries as the next frontier of sustainability.
But like many industry-led solutions, the story sounds far better than the reality.
What Is Chemical Recycling—Really?
Chemical recycling refers to several different technologies that aim to convert plastic waste into fuels, chemical feedstocks, or other raw materials. These aren’t edible or agricultural feedstocks—they’re industrial raw materials used to make more plastics, fuels, or synthetic chemicals. Despite the clean-sounding name, these ‘feedstocks’ are part of a high-energy, high-emission manufacturing loop. On paper, that might sound efficient—but turning plastic into plastic again via high-heat chemistry is a bit like trying to fix a broken system with even more complexity.
The most common methods include:
- Pyrolysis: heating plastics without oxygen to produce oil or gas
- Gasification: converting plastic into synthetic gas (syngas)
- Depolymerization: breaking down plastics into monomers for reuse
Unlike mechanical recycling, which grinds plastic down and remolds it, chemical recycling is positioned as a way to turn “unrecyclable” plastic into something useful again. In theory, it could deal with mixed or contaminated plastic waste—like chip bags and multilayer films—that traditional recycling systems can’t handle.
In theory.
Why It Sounds Good—And Why That’s the Problem
The appeal of chemical recycling lies in its narrative: infinite reuse, zero waste, and a closed-loop future where plastic never becomes pollution. The industry calls it “circular,” “next-gen,” and “essential to climate goals.”
But here’s what the fine print often leaves out:
- Most chemical recycling isn’t actually recycling. It’s plastic-to-fuel, which means burning it.
- The energy input required is extremely high—undermining any climate benefits.
- It produces toxic byproducts, including char, ash, and air pollutants.
- The actual recycling rates are minuscule—less than 1% of plastic waste globally is chemically recycled.
Worse, these technologies are still mostly at the demonstration or pilot stage. But that hasn’t stopped companies from using them to justify more plastic production.
Rebranding Incineration as Innovation
Some chemical recycling methods amount to little more than energy recovery—burning plastic and calling it sustainable. Yet this is precisely how many facilities report their results, inflating recycling figures and greenwashing emissions-heavy processes.
These projects often receive public funding, tax credits, and favorable regulatory treatment despite their poor track record. In some cases, they’ve been used as bargaining chips to block or delay bans on single-use plastics.
As a Greenpeace report put it: “Chemical recycling is a shell game that distracts from real solutions and keeps the plastic tap running.”
Designed to Delay Change
Chemical recycling’s greatest value to the plastic industry isn’t environmental—it’s strategic. By promising innovation just over the horizon, it:
- Deflects public pressure for production caps
- Weakens legislation aimed at reducing plastic
- Reassures consumers that their waste will be “handled”
Meanwhile, the flood of plastic continues. And the truly effective approaches—reuse, refill, and reduction—remain underfunded and under-promoted.
The Bottom Line
Chemical recycling isn’t a breakthrough—it’s a distraction. One that buys time for the fossil fuel industry to build more plastic plants, expand exports, and preserve the illusion of sustainability.
If we want real solutions, we need to stop chasing miracle tech and start demanding systemic change. That means production limits. Reuse infrastructure. And policies that put people and the planet before petrochemical profit.
Curious Why Recycling Was Always a Distraction?
Read our related piece: The Great Recycling Distraction — exposing the industry’s decades-long strategy to shift blame from producers to the public.
Explore the Plastic Truths Mini-Series
This article is part of the Plastic Truths series. To explore all articles and dig deeper into the myths that sustain the plastic age, visit our Plastic Truths overview page.
We don’t publish to praise complexity—we publish to question the kind of eco-language that makes fossil-based plastic sound plant-based. We publish to unmask it.
Further Reading
If chemical recycling sounds too good to be true, that’s because it often is. These reports and investigations dig deeper into the reality behind the rhetoric—and reveal what the industry doesn’t want you to question.
Deception by the Numbers – Greenpeace USA
A thorough examination of the industry’s chemical recycling claims, arguing that these technologies are a distraction from real, scalable solutions.
This ‘solution’ to the plastic crisis is really just another way to burn fossil fuels – Grist
Highlights the ways in which chemical recycling overlaps with incineration, contributing to pollution while being marketed as green innovation.
Books:
The following books are linked to Amazon.com for your convenience. If you decide to purchase through these links, we may earn a small commission — at no extra cost to you.
Plastic Unlimited: How Corporations Are Fuelling the Ecological Crisis and What We Can Do About It [amazon.com]
By Alice Mah
This incisive book explores how global corporations have expanded plastic production under the guise of green innovation. Mah reveals how solutions like chemical recycling often serve to deflect regulation and maintain business as usual.
Plastic Ocean: How a Sea Captain’s Chance Discovery Launched a Determined Quest to Save the Oceans [amazon.com]
By Capt. Charles Moore with Cassandra Phillips
Captain Moore recounts his discovery of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and his subsequent efforts to raise awareness about oceanic plastic pollution. The book combines personal narrative with scientific research, highlighting the pervasive nature of plastic waste and its impact on marine ecosystems.
Plastic: A Toxic Love Story [amazon.com]
By Susan Freinkel
Freinkel explores the history and science of plastic, examining its ubiquitous presence in modern life and the environmental and health challenges it poses. The book provides a comprehensive look at how plastic has transformed society and the planet.
Sometimes solving the plastic problem starts with seeing how it’s being rebranded—and who profits from the illusion.
We write these pieces to spark curiosity, not complacency. Because once you see the patterns, you can start asking better questions—and demand better answers.
Critical thinking starts with seeing through the spin.
Image acknowledgment:
We’re grateful to the talented photographers and designers on Unsplash for their beautiful, free-to-use images. The image on this page incorporates an illustration by Allison Saeng, which was then combined into a custom graphic using Canva. You can explore more of Allison’s work here: unsplash.com/@allisonsaeng.
