Table 7.

Technologies of different chemical recycling processes (Europe 20/1/2021)

Recycling process	Feedstock	Output	Decontamination	Ability to treat mixed plastic	Maturity
Mechanical recycling	PE, PET, PP, PS	Plastic (made of one or more polymers)	No	Yes	Industrial scale
Solvent-based purification	PVC, PS, polyolefins (PE, PP)	Polymer	Yes	No	Pilot stage
Chemical depolymerisation	PET, PU, PA, PLA, PC, PHA, PEF	Monomers	Yes	No	Existing pilot plants for PET, PU, PA
Cracking (pyrolysis and gasification)	Plastic mix	Hydrocarbon mix	Yes	Yes	Pilot stage
Thermal depolymerisation (pyrolysis)	PMMA, PS	Monomers	Yes	No	Pilot stage