ECONOMY AND MARKET
The latest Agici report offers a snapshot of chemical recycling development in Italy, which is currently the European leader in terms of number of projects. Between industrial potential, feedstock availability issues and an evolving legislative framework, chemical recycling emerges as a strategic lever to enhance the competitiveness of the plastics value chain.
CHEMICAL RECYCLING: ITALY UPS THE PACE
Italian technology plast / June-July 2026
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Chemical recycling is currently one of the most strategic areas for the plastics industry. Not merely a response to the European recycling and decarbonisation targets, it is also an industrial lever capable of enhancing the value of the entire value chain, complementing mechanical recycling processes while also creating new opportunities for chemical companies and waste management operators. The latest Agici report,“ Riciclo chimico: potenzialità di sviluppo e proposte per far decollare il mercato( Chemical recycling: growth potential and policy proposals to scale up the market)”, drawn up with the support of A2A, Aquafil, Corepla, Montello, MyRechemicals and Versalis, provides a comprehensive overview of the sector and its prospects in Italy and across Europe.
AN EVOLVING SECTOR, BETWEEN TECHNOLOGY AND THE MARKET Chemical recycling is emerging as a complementary and alternative solution to mechanical recycling, especially for those plastic waste fractions that are currently difficult to recover using traditional methods. Agici distinguishes three main technological options. Solvolysis, suitable for PET, polyamides, and polyurethanes, is still limited by uneven technological readiness levels( TRL) and high costs, despite
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