The management of plastic waste has emerged as a critical global challenge due to its environmental impact and persistence in ecosystems. Traditional recycling methods often face limitations in handling diverse plastic types and contaminated materials. Chemical recycling technologies offer promising alternatives by converting plastic waste into valuable chemical feedstocks or fuels. This review explores the state-of-the-art in chemical recycling, focusing on technologies such as pyrolysis, depolymerization, solvolysis, and hydrothermal processing. It evaluates their environmental impacts compared to traditional methods, emphasizing energy efficiency, waste reduction, and resource conservation. Additionally, the review discusses successful case studies, industrial applications, scalability challenges, and regulatory implications. Future directions highlight innovations in technology, policy frameworks, and research needs to advance towards a sustainable circular economy for plastics.

Chemical recycling, plastics, pyrolysis, depolymerization, solvolysis, hydrothermal processing, environmental impacts, sustainability, circular economy, waste management