As the world faces a serious plastic waste crisis, transforming plastic waste into new resources has become an essential strategy for many industries. PCR (Post-Consumer Recycled) plastic resin is an innovation that supports both environmental sustainability and the circular economy. Producing PCR resin not only reduces the amount of plastic waste in the environment but also creates new business opportunities for companies in the plastics and packaging sectors.

What Is PCR?

Post-Consumer Recycled (PCR) technology turns used plastic from daily life into new raw materials through an effective but complex process. PCR production begins with collecting plastic waste from households, shops, and offices. This waste must be sorted carefully because plastics such as PET (bottles) cannot be recycled together with PE (plastic bags) due to the differences in melting point.

The next step is deep cleaning to remove all contaminates such as labels, glue, and chemical residues. This stage requires several cleaning processes, which is one reason why PCR resin often costs more than virgin plastic. After cleaning, the plastic is melted at high temperatures and formed into small plastic pellets. These PCR pellets have properties close to new plastic and can be used to make new products. However, PCR production is not easy. The quality of collected waste varies every day, sometimes containing chemicals or mixed plastics that should not be there. Because of this, PCR manufacturers need strict quality control systems.

Environmental Benefits of PCR Resin

1. Saving Natural Resources

Producing 1 ton of virgin plastic requires around 1.5–2 tons of crude oil. Considering that the world produces more than 400 million tons of plastic per year, this is a massive amount. Using PCR instead of virgin plastic helps reduce the use of limited fossil resources and lowers dependency on imported oil.
According to Plastics Europe, recycled PET production uses 60% less energy than producing new PET, which leads to a major reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

2. Reducing Climate Impact

Research from the Journal of Cleaner Production shows that using PCR in place of virgin plastic can reduce carbon emissions by up to 70%. This reduction comes from lower energy use, reduced oil extraction, and decreased burning of fossil fuels.
In Thailand, increasing PCR usage from 18% to 50% could reduce emissions from the plastics industry by more than 2 million tons of CO₂ equivalent per year.

3. Reducing Plastic Waste

Thailand generates about 2 million tons of plastic waste each year, most of which is burned or landfilled. Expanding PCR production can turn this waste into valuable raw material instead of letting it become an environmental burden.
According to the Pollution Control Department, increasing the recycling rate to 40% would reduce landfill waste by 800,000 tons per year, saving over 80 rai of landfill space.  คอมเมนท์เหมือนภาษาไทย

Key Technologies in PCR Production

1. Chemical Recycling

Chemical recycling converts plastic back into its original molecules, allowing it to be made into high-quality plastic equal to virgin resin. A study in Nature Communications (2022) showed that a new dynamic maleic acid tertiary amide bond enables closed-loop recycling with more than 94% monomer recovery, without losing mechanical strength.

2. Mechanical Recycling

Mechanical recycling uses mechanical force and heat to turn used plastic back into pellets. The process starts with shredding, washing, melting, and reforming the material. This is the most common recycling method worldwide.

Future Growth of PCR Resin

Global Market Growth

According to Grand View Research (2024), the global recycled plastics market was valued at USD 51.70 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow 9.5% annually to reach USD 96.48 billion by 2030.
The Asia-Pacific region holds the largest market share at 47.97%.

Use in Food Packaging

Regulators such as the FDA and EFSA now approve the use of PCR materials in food-contact packaging. rPET was widely approved and other types are varied by countries. This policy shift is a major driver of future PCR demand.

PCR Resin Industry in Thailand

Thailand’s PCR resin industry is growing steadily due to government support for the circular economy and increasing demand from businesses that need sustainable packaging solutions.
According to Grand View Research, Thailand’s recycled plastics market was valued at USD 557.2 million in 2023, with a projected CAGR of 8.3% through 2030.
Polypropylene (PP) currently generates the highest revenue, while PET is the fastest-growing segment.

In 2020, 41.1% of Thailand’s plastic consumption (out of 5.68 million tons) came from packaging — making it the country’s largest source of recyclable plastic. This creates a strong supply base for PCR production.
Many local companies have already invested in high-quality PCR production technology to support global brands committed to using 25–50% recycled materials by 2025–2030.
As a result, Thailand’s PCR market continues to grow rapidly and plays a key role in national plastic-waste reduction goals.

Case Studies of Leading Global Brands

Coca-Cola

• Initial goal: 50% recycled content by 2030
• Updated goal: 35–40% recycled content for key packaging
• Global rPET usage: 17% in 2023
• Total recycled content: 27% in 2023

Unilever

• Target: 25% recycled plastic by 2025 (currently at 22%)
• 100% recyclable packaging:
  • Rigid packaging by 2030
  • Flexible packaging by 2035

The Future of PCR Resin in Thailand

Producing PCR resin is a powerful way to turn plastic waste into valuable resources. Supported by government policy, growing market demand, and advancing technology, Thailand’s PCR industry is set for strong and continuous growth.

In a world where sustainability matters more than ever, PCR resin is not just an environmental solution — it is the foundation of a true circular economy.

TPBI is committed to leading this change by developing high-quality PCR resin suitable for a wide range of applications, including food-contact packaging, under strict global safety standards. With advanced technology and modern production systems, TPBI stands alongside customers and partners to build a more sustainable future.

Because at TPBI, we believe that “today’s waste is tomorrow’s resource.”

TPBI,
Think Circular
Think Sustainable

References

1. Ellen MacArthur Foundation. (2017). The New Plastics Economy: Rethinking the future of plastics.
2. Plastics Europe. (2020). Plastics – the Facts 2020.
3. Journal of Cleaner Production. (2019). Environmental assessment of PET bottle recycling.
4. Pollution Control Department (Thailand). (2022). Report on plastic waste situation in Thailand.
5. Hopewell, J., et al. (2009). Plastics recycling: challenges and opportunities. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B.
6. Nature Communications. (2021). Chemical recycling of plastic waste.
7. Grand View Research. (2022). Recycled Plastics Market Size Report, 2022–2030.