Waste Recovery and Recycling Market Report 2026

The waste recovery and recycling market size has grown rapidly in recent years. It will grow from $128.06 billion in 2025 to $142.2 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to increase in recyclable waste generation, expansion of industrial recycling operations, rising landfill constraints, growth of organized waste collection systems, early adoption of material recovery facilities.

The waste recovery and recycling market size is expected to see rapid growth in the next few years. It will grow to $213.64 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.7%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to increasing investments in circular resource systems, rising demand for recycled raw materials, expansion of energy recovery applications, growing adoption of automated recycling plants, increasing regulatory enforcement on waste recovery. Major trends in the forecast period include increasing adoption of advanced material recovery technologies, rising demand for plastic and metal recycling, growing integration of waste-to-energy processes, expansion of organized recycling networks, enhanced focus on resource efficiency.

The rising generation of waste is expected to drive the growth of the waste recovery and recycling market in the coming years. Waste generation refers to the production or accumulation of materials as byproducts of various activities, including industrial processes, household consumption, and commercial operations. It encompasses all forms of waste - solid, liquid, and gaseous - produced during the production, consumption, or disposal of goods and services. The increase in waste generation is driven by factors such as population growth, higher consumption rates, urbanization, and increased production of goods. Waste recovery and recycling help manage growing waste levels by reprocessing materials, reducing landfill volumes, and conserving resources through reuse and recycling. For example, according to the United Nations Environment Programme, municipal solid waste production is expected to rise from 2.1 billion metric tons in 2023 to 3.8 billion metric tons by 2050. Therefore, rising waste generation is fueling the expansion of the waste recovery and recycling market.

Key players in the waste recovery and recycling market are developing advanced robotic systems, such as AI-powered waste sorting robots, to enhance efficiency, improve sorting accuracy, and optimize recycling processes. These robots utilize computer vision, machine learning, and sensor technologies to automate the separation and categorization of waste materials. For instance, leading technology providers have recently introduced next-generation AI-powered waste sorting robots designed to significantly improve the precision and efficiency of waste separation, helping maximize the recovery of recyclable materials.

In December 2023, Circular Services, LLC, a US-based recycling and materials management company, acquired Midwest Fiber Recycling for an undisclosed amount. This acquisition is intended to expand Circular Services’ operational footprint and strengthen its capacity to process and distribute recovered materials across the Midwest region. Midwest Fiber Recycling, LLC is a US-based recycling company specializing in commercial and residential recycling services, including the collection, sorting, and processing of paper, cardboard, plastics, and other recoverable materials.

Major companies operating in the waste recovery and recycling market report are Waste Management Inc., Republic Services Inc., Veolia Environnement S.A., Waste Connections Inc., Casella Waste Systems Inc., GFL Environmental Inc., Stericycle Inc., Covanta Holding Corporation, Remondis SE & Co. KG, SUEZ S.A., Biffa plc, PreZero Stiftung & Co. KG, Reconomy, Sims Recycling Solutions, Renewi plc, FCC Environment Limited, Rumpke Waste & Recycling, Cleanaway Waste Management Ltd., China Recycling Development Co. Ltd., New COOP Tianbao Environmental, Kayama Environmental Group, Shirai Recycling Co. Ltd., Daiseki Co. Ltd., Urbaser, Waste Pro USA Inc., Recology Inc., Lakeshore Recycling Systems LLC.

North America was the largest region in the waste recovery and recycling market in 2025. The regions covered in the waste recovery and recycling market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in the waste recovery and recycling market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

The waste recovery and recycling market consists of revenues earned by entities by providing services such as material recovery, chemical recycling, and organic waste recycling. The market value includes the value of related goods sold by the service provider or included within the service offering. The waste recovery and recycling market also includes sales of insulation materials, cleaning rags, recycled concrete, and gypsum drywall. Values in this market are ‘factory gate’ values, that is, the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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