'Air purification applications to drive demand for activated carbon'

The global Activated carbon market is set to show steady growth over the period from 2017 to 2022, according to a new market report from US-based The Freedonia Group. “Global demand for activated carbon (liquid phase and gas phase) in all markets will grow 4.2% per year to 1.8 million metric tons in 2022,” the report revealed.

The industrial AIR purification is expected to see the fastest growth of the major global applications for activated carbon, with annual growth of 7.1% through 2022. Activated carbon demand in industrial air purification totalled 343,900-tonnes in 2017, the report stated.

The Asia-Pacific region is forecast to post the fastest increases. China, in particular, has made a concerted effort to tackle air pollution, but other developing countries in the region are beginning to address air quality issues as well, the report said.

“On the other hand, growth in the US will slow, constrained by a delay in the implementation of the US EPA’s MERCURY and Air Toxics Standards (MATS),” informed analyst, Mr. Zoe Biller. This legislation spurred strong growth over the past decade, but gains halted when many power plant operators chose to delay compliance or shut down older plants.

Gas phase applications are expected to continue to increase their market share relative to liquid phase applications. The industrial air purification segment will be the primary driver of this shift, fuelled by stricter air quality standards that mandate reduced levels of mercury and other contaminants.

In a continuation of historical trends for liquid phase applications, the large drinking water treatment segment is expected to be the most significant contributor to growth in volume terms, although smaller applications such as pharmaceutical and medical will post robust gains in percentage terms.