Global waste recycling market projected to reach $119B by 2035

The global waste recycling services market is projected to grow from US$68.68 billion in 2025 to US$119.11 billion by 2035. This expansion represents a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.66%, driven by increasing waste volumes, diminishing landfill availability, and the adoption of circular economy models by corporations.

Paper and paperboard currently hold the largest market share at 31.20%. However, plastics recycling is expected to experience the fastest growth among materials, with a projected CAGR of 6.49%. Technological advancements, including AI sorting, robotics, digital traceability, and advanced chemical recycling, are improving the efficiency of material recovery.

Other notable trends include a surge in electronic waste (e-waste) recovery, which is projected to have the highest CAGR at 7.02%, and the rise of advanced recycling techniques designed to process complex or mixed waste streams that traditional mechanical recycling cannot handle.