Activated Carbon Market - Forecasts from 2024 to 2029

The global activated carbon market is anticipated to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.5% between 2024 and 2029.

The main factors driving the activated carbon market are the stringent regulations imposed on wastewater treatment by various countries such as the United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom. For instance, the EU Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive was recently revised in April 2024 whose main objective includes the reduction of pollution of surface waters and groundwater by wastewater and the promotion of sustainable wastewater treatment.

• The market also faces challenges due to multiple factors like the growing cost of a few grades of activated carbon as well as threats from substitutes like silica gel and biological ion exchange (BIEX).
• The market has several opportunities with ongoing research on using waste tires-based activated carbon to remove contamination from wastewater. This method will reduce the cost of activated carbon thereby making it a more competitive product in the market.

Powdered Activated carbon is likely to be the fastest-growing type during the forecast period

The Powdered Activated Carbon (PAC) usually has a particle size distribution ranging from 80-325mesh. Powdered activated carbon (PAC) is mostly made from peat, bituminous coal, coconut shells, wood, and lignite coal. It is mostly utilized for liquid-phase adsorption. The high surface area and larger pore volume allow for the effective removal of color bodies with minimal carbon dose. PAC has wide application areas such as residential and municipal water treatment, pharmaceutical product purification, decolorization in the food and beverage industry, and many other applications. The growth in these industries is directly influencing the demand for powdered activated carbon, thereby making it the fastest-growing type in the market.

Gas Purification to register fastest growth application segment of the activated carbon market

Activated carbon is used to remove hydrocarbons or volatile organic content (VOC) and process gases like natural gas, hydrogen, and carbon dioxide along with other contaminants. This factor makes it a crucial component for industries where purified gas is required for various processes. Activated carbon is also used to remove pollutants like hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and ammonia (NH3) from biogas. All these factors contribute to the growing consumption of activated carbon and are anticipated to drive its demand during the forecast period.

In the food industry, carbon dioxide (CO2) is used in various processes and carbonated drinks. The carbon used in the food industry should be odor and sulfur-free. Carbon dioxide produced by the fermentation process is treated with activated carbon to meet food standard purity requirements. Owing to the above-mentioned factor gas purification application is projected to be the fastest growing application for the activated carbon market.

The growing application of activated carbon in the pharmaceutical industry

Activated carbon is a versatile and environment-friendly porous material with increasing applications across various fields. These materials offer various desirable properties, such as adjustable porosity, lightweight, electrical conductivity, chemical and physical stability, and the ability to take on different forms or shapes.

At a global level, water treatment applications account for nearly 38% of the total consumption of activated carbon, making it the largest application area. Air and gas purification follows closely, accounting for 25% of the total consumption. Food processing applications come next, representing 12% of the total consumption followed by the pharmaceutical sector. Activated carbon utilization as a super adsorbent has observed a spike in the food and pharmaceutical industry over the study period.

The United States and Europe are the largest pharmaceutical market and these two regions combined contribute to nearly 80% of sales of new medicines launched during 2016 and 2021. India, Brazil, and China are some of the emerging economies in the pharmaceutical sector and are anticipated to be a major growth driver for the sector during the forecast period. Owing to these factors, the global demand for activated carbon is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.5% during the forecast period, with the fastest growth observed in the pharmaceutical industry.

Asia-Pacific region to dominate the activated carbon market during the forecast period.

The major economies like China, Japan, India, and South Korea dominate the Asia-Pacific region. Some of the fastest-growing emerging economies are from this region such as ASEAN countries. India and China have about 35.5% of the world's population, yet their limited water reserves account for only 4% and 7%, respectively. Rapid urbanization and industrialization have posed a grave challenge for these countries to meet their water requirements.

• China has set a target to treat 95% of the wastewater in all their cities and increase the water reuse rate to 25% in areas with water scarcity. China released nearly 59 billion cubic meters of wastewater in 2023, out of which around 28% was contributed by industrial sources. The growing industrial wastewater treatment in China is anticipated to drive the demand for activated carbon.
• As per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Indian cities treat only 28% of the 72.36 billion liters per day (MLD) of wastewater. Nearly 72% of the wastewater remains untreated and is disposed of in rivers, lakes, and groundwater. There is a significant gap in the wastewater generated and treated and to address this issue the government is taking steps and convert the wastewater into a valuable resource.
• According to NITI Aayog’s recent report, the urban population is estimated to reach 607 million by 2030 and it is estimated that by 2050 nearly 50% of the Indian population will be in urban cities. The growth in the urban population has imposed pressure on the city's water management boards. To address the issue, CPCB is installing new wastewater treatment plants and increasing the existing wastewater treatment capacity.

This growing demand for wastewater treatment in China and India is expected to boost the demand for activated carbon in these countries thereby contributing to the global demand for activated carbon.

Global Activated Carbon Market Key Developments

• In May 2024, Kuraray Co., Ltd., decided to acquire the industrial reactivated carbon business from Sprint Environmental Services, LLC, this acquisition will strengthen the company’s foothold in the activated carbon market.
• In October 2024, ADA Carbon Solutions (Arq, Inc.), a leading manufacturer of powder-activated carbon and a subsidiary of Advanced Emissions Solutions, announced that it is considering a USD 251 million expansion of its production facility in Red River Parish. The expanded plant is expected to have a unique process for converting purified coal waste into granular activated carbon, which could be utilized for municipal water purification, soil and groundwater contamination remediation, and renewable energy. 

The global activated carbon market is segmented and analyzed as below:

By Product type

• Powdered Activated Carbons (PAC) 
• Granular Activated Carbons (GAC) 
• Extruded or Pelletized Activated Carbon

By Application

• Gas Purification
• Water Purification
• Metal Extraction
• Medicine
• Other Applications

By End-user Industry

• Water Treatment
• Food and Beverage
• Pharmaceutical
• Automotive
• Industrial Processing
• Other End-user Industries

By Geography

• North America
• USA
• Canada
• Mexico
• South America
• Brazil
• Argentina
• Rest of South America
• Europe
• United Kingdom
• Germany
• France
• Italy
• Spain
• Rest of Europe
• Middle East and Africa
• Saudi Arabia
• UAE
• Rest of the Middle East and Africa
• Asia Pacific
• China
• India
• Japan
• South Korea
• Taiwan
• Thailand
• Indonesia
• Rest of Asia-Pacific