Development History of Waste Plastic-to-Diesel Technology

Development History of Waste Plastic-to-Diesel Technology 

The technology’s development is divided into 5 core stages, with the main trajectory evolving from basic research to compliant large-scale production, and from extensive manufacturing to low-carbon upgrading:

Germination & Research (1960s–1990s): Driven by the oil crises, Europe, the US and Japan pioneered pyrolysis fundamental research; catalytic pyrolysis emerged in the 1980s, and China filed relevant patents in the 1990s, kicking off localized exploration.

Early Industrialization & Unregulated Chaos (Late 1990s–Early 2000s): Unregulated plastic-to-oil production boomed in China, featuring simple processes and severe pollution; China issued pollution control norms in 2007, launching industry rectification.

Compliant Transformation & Technological Iteration (2000–2010): Domestic enterprises realized industrial production with supporting environmental facilities and optimized refining processes; equipment upgraded from kettle-type to tubular/catalytic deep pyrolysis, with products concentrated on light oil.

Diversified Upgrading & Policy-Driven Growth (2010–2020): New processes such as microwave and fluidized bed were applied, equipment scaled up to handle mixed waste plastics; global policy support (EU’s New Plastics Economy, China’s environmental inspections) boosted the expansion of compliant production capacity.

Large-Scale Commercialization & Low-Carbon Upgrading (2020–Present): Large commercial plants have been commissioned worldwide, forming a complete industrial chain; breakthroughs in new technologies like low-temperature catalysis have reduced energy consumption and lifted conversion rates to over 80%; carbon neutrality policies drive the shift to low-carbon and high-value-added processes.