SWANA Releases New ARF Report on Molecular Recycling Options for Plastics in North America

The Solid Waste Association of North America's (SWANA) Applied Research Foundation (ARF) has released a new report, Molecular Recycling Options for Plastics in North America, providing waste and resource management professionals with an overview of molecular recycling technologies and key considerations for evaluating their role in plastics management.

The term “molecular recycling” encompasses several types of processes designed to break plastic materials down into chemical building blocks, feedstocks, or other products. This report describes each of these processes, along with their inputs and outputs, and examples of operating facilities in North America. It also describes the challenges with plastic waste management and an overview of the policy landscape related to molecular recycling.

"As molecular recycling continues to evolve in North America, this report provides decision makers with an understanding of the technologies, and a framework for considering how these options may fit within broader waste prevention, reuse, and recycling strategies,” shared Carolyn F. Muller, SWANA Acting CEO. 

The report is intended to support informed planning and transparent evaluation rather than prescribing a single approach. It highlights the importance of assessing technologies in the context of existing collection and processing systems, local community priorities, the types of plastic waste to be managed, end markets, and project-specific data.

This research was conducted through SWANA’s Applied Research Foundation, which supports collaborative, member-driven research on critical waste and resource management issues.

The full report is available at no charge to SWANA members. Non-members may purchase the report through SWANA’s ARF report library. To learn more about the Applied Research Foundation and how to join its member-directed research program, visit swana.org/resources/research.