Plastic Waste Management Market Report 2026

The plastic waste management market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $40.37 billion in 2025 to $42.71 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.8%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to rising environmental awareness, increasing plastic consumption globally, development of initial waste collection frameworks, early government waste management initiatives, growth in urban waste generation.

The plastic waste management market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $53.32 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.7%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to strengthening environmental policy enforcement, rising demand for recycled plastic utilization, increasing investment in waste processing technologies, expanding circular economy practices, growing emphasis on global sustainability commitments. Major trends in the forecast period include increasing emphasis on plastic recycling programs, growing demand for sustainable waste handling solutions, rising focus on circular plastic utilization, strengthening adoption of structured waste collection systems, increasing development of advanced recycling technologies.

The increasing demand for packaged food is expected to drive the growth of the plastic waste management market in the coming years. The rising volume of food packaging waste has become a pressing environmental concern across industrialized nations, creating an urgent need for effective waste management solutions. Shifts in eating habits and evolving lifestyles have significantly increased consumer reliance on packaged and convenience foods, thereby accelerating plastic waste generation. For example, in January 2024, according to the SupplySide Food & Beverage Journal, a US-based publication focused on the food and beverage industry, frozen food retail sales rose by 7.9%, reaching $74.2 billion over the previous year. This represents growth of more than $10 billion within just three years, underscoring the rising consumer preference for convenient packaged food options. Consequently, the growing demand for packaged foods is expected to propel the plastic waste management market during the forecast period.

Major companies operating in the plastic waste management market are increasingly focused on developing advanced technological solutions, such as artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled recycling systems, to enhance recycling efficiency and minimize environmental impact. AI-enabled recycling systems leverage machine learning and computer vision technologies to automatically identify, sort, and process different types of plastic waste with greater accuracy and speed. These systems help improve recycling rates, reduce contamination, and lower overall environmental footprints. For instance, in February 2024, BASF SE, a Germany-based chemicals company, launched its ChemCycling initiative. ChemCycling aims to convert plastic waste that is difficult to recycle mechanically - including mixed plastics and residue-contaminated materials - into valuable raw materials. The resulting Ccycled products are ISCC+-certified advanced recycled feedstocks that can partially replace virgin materials in applications such as superabsorbent polymers, engineering plastics, and polyurethanes.

In March 2025, RACE Eco Chain Ltd, an India-based provider of end-to-end waste management, recycling logistics, and circular economy solutions, acquired Vasundhara Envirogreen Private Limited for an undisclosed amount. Through this acquisition, RACE Eco Chain seeks to strengthen and expand its nationwide plastic waste collection and recycling network, improving operational scale, regional coverage, and the efficiency of its integrated recycling value chain. Vasundhara Envirogreen Private Limited is an India-based company specializing in recyclable material supply and plastic waste collection services that support sustainable plastic recycling supply chains.

Major companies operating in the plastic waste management market report are Waste Management Inc, Veolia Environnement S.A., SUEZ SA, Republic Services Inc, Waste Connections Inc, Biffa plc, Remondis SE & Co. KG, ALBA Group, Stericycle Inc, GFL Environmental Inc, Covanta Holding Corporation, Clean Harbors Inc, Averda, Bee’ah Group, Al Dhafra Recycling Industries, Mr. Green Africa, WeCyclers, Coliba Ghana Ltd, United Plastic Recycling Inc, KW Plastics Recycling.

North America was the largest region in the plastic waste management market in 2025. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the plastic waste management market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in the plastic waste management market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

The plastic waste management market includes revenues earned by entities by providing services such as pyrolysis, bioremediation. The market value includes the value of related goods sold by the service provider or included within the service offering. Only goods and services traded between entities or sold to end consumers are included.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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