Global Industrial Wastewater Treatment Chemical Market is Segmented By Product(Corrosion inhibitors, Scale inhibitors, Coagulants & flocculants, Biocides & disinfectants, Chelating agents, Anti-foaming agents, pH adjusters, and stabilizers, Others), By Application(Cooling Water, Boiler Water, Membrane Water, Municipal Water, Others), By End-User(Oil & Gas, Power, Mining, Pulp & Paper, Chemical & Fertilizer, Pharmaceutical, Others), and By Region (North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa) – Share, Size, Outlook, and Opportunity Analysis, 2024-2031
Industrial Wastewater Treatment Chemical Market Overview
The global industrial wastewater treatment chemical market size was worth USD YY million in 2022 and is estimated to record significant growth by reaching up to USD YY million by 2030, growing at a CAGR of YY% within the forecast period (2024-2031).
Industrial Wastewater Treatment Chemical Market Scope and Summary
Metrics |
Details |
Market CAGR |
High |
Segments Covered |
By Product, By Application, By End-User, and By Region |
Report Insights Covered |
Competitive Landscape Analysis, Company Profile Analysis, Market Size, Share, Growth, Demand, Recent Developments, Mergers and acquisitions, New Product Launches, Growth Strategies, Revenue Analysis, and Other vital insights. |
Fastest Growing Region |
Asia Pacific |
Largest Market Share |
North America |
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The procedure used to treat wastewater produced as an unwanted by-product by industry are industrial wastewater treatment. After treatment, the treated industrial wastewater (or effluent) can be reused or discharged into a sanitary sewer or surface water. Sewage treatment plants can treat wastewater generated by some industrial facilities.
Most industrial processes, including petroleum refineries and chemical and petrochemical plants, have specialized facilities for treating their wastewater so that pollutant concentration in the treated wastewater meets the wastewater disposal regulations in sewers, rivers, lakes, or oceans. Different types of chemicals are used to treat industrial wastewater depending on the types of industrial waste discharged.
Due to the increased need for potable water worldwide, demand for industrial water treatment chemicals has increased. Industrial waste is a serious environmental hazard. Several environmentalists have emphasized the importance of lowering the waste toll. Wastewater has become a significant component of the waste produced by industrial facilities. Treatment of industrial water has become critical to maintaining a healthy and pleasant atmosphere. As a result, both industrialized and developing economies have increased their use of wastewater control technology.
Industrial Wastewater Treatment Chemical Market Dynamics and Trends
Tremendously increasing demand for chemically treated water in various end-user industries. Increasing demand for specific chemical formulations for industrial wastewater treatment has escalated the market growth for the product
Tremendously increasing demand for chemically treated water in various end-user industries
The cost constraints connected to wastewater treatment and a lack of adequate legislation have increased the worry about water treatment discharging from various industries, especially in growing economies such as China, India, Brazil, and ASEAN countries. To enhance water quality in these countries, significant investments in wastewater treatment are required.
Manufacturing businesses focus on wastewater treatment and re-use of water due to rigorous government requirements in industrialized nations and growing concern in developing regions. As a result, various water treatment chemical and solution providers are concentrating on developing new chemicals and techniques for water treatment. These factors are expected to grow the industrial wastewater treatment chemicals market.
Furthermore, the demand for fresh and clean water for domestic, agricultural, and industrial reasons has expanded dramatically in emerging economies due to greater industrial activity. As a result, such places are likely to have a higher need for water treatment chemicals than developed countries.
The market for water treatment chemicals is driven by the rise of the power, oil and gas, mining, and chemical industries, particularly in growing economies such as China, Brazil, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Argentina, Chile, and Vietnam.
For instance, in 2020, the Suez Group inaugurated the Kelani riverbank, a wastewater treatment plant in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Increasing demand for specific chemical formulations for industrial wastewater treatment has escalated the market growth for the product
Most markets have replaced low-cost commodity industrial wastewater treatment chemicals with high-value and specialty formulations required by specific applications. The replacement of low-cost chemicals has opened the door to particular formulations needed by the oil and gas, chemical, mining, and metallurgy industries.
Compared to traditional formulations, the new products are often more environmentally friendly and deliver higher performance at lower loadings, increasing demand for such formulations. The corrosion inhibitors sector, for example, is increasingly focusing on high-priced multifunctional goods rather than typical commodity solutions. In addition to being anti-corrosive, Corrosion inhibitors also prevent scale development, alter pH levels and cause pollutants to precipitate.
For instance, in 2021, Suez and Schneider Electric announced the news to form a joint venture for a unique software solution to optimize water treatment infrastructure.
The presence of alternative water treatment technologies is hindering the market growth of the product
The general distaste for water treatment chemicals and preference for physical water treatment technologies, including UV disinfection and RO filtration, is common in the water treatment industry. As environmental concerns and regulatory demands grow, the water treatment chemicals business progressively moves toward these sustainable solutions. Due to improved technologies, chemicals are used in water treatment processes to a minimum.
Chemical treatment systems are being displaced to a significant part by the development of filtration and ultrafiltration technologies. Membrane research is a priority of the Asia-Pacific region's main water treatment companies' R&D centers. Nano-engineered composite membranes have recently emerged as an innovation in membrane technology. RO technology is a water purification method that removes bigger particles from drinking water using a semi-permeable membrane.
The EPA and Small System Compliance Technology (SSCT) have chosen RO as the best available technology for industrial water treatment. It can remove up to 99% of dissolved pollutants from water. Another technology that has mostly replaced chlorine as a disinfectant is an ultraviolet disinfection. UV disinfection is preferred over chlorine-based biocides, according to new EPA standards.
UV disinfection, unlike chemical methods, uses a physical mechanism to inactivate potentially hazardous microorganisms rapidly. Furthermore, the use of several nanotechnology-based technologies is assisting in the decrease of chemical use in water treatment. Alternative technologies like these are stifling the market for industrial wastewater treatment chemicals.
COVID-19 Impact on Industrial Wastewater Treatment Chemical Market Growth
Several countries' economies have experienced slow growth due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the shutdown of manufacturing facilities, decreased demand for oil and gas, and supply chain disruption. In 2020, demand for industrial wastewater treatment chemicals fell in several end-use sectors. Due to a shortage of synthetic and bio-based chemicals and restrictions on imports, prices are projected to grow in the forecast period, raising the cost of water treatment technology and chemicals. The significant price increase will be passed on to customers.
Furthermore, the rapid spread of coronavirus has significantly influenced global markets, as the pandemic has put the world's biggest economies on lockdown. As a result of this massive lockdown, the consumer market has suddenly begun to show zero interest in purchasing IWTC-related equipment. The shutdown of all types of international transportation is one of the major challenges that the market is experiencing. The global economic downturn has slowed demand for goods and exports of effect pigments in all sectors, including manufacturing.
Industrial Wastewater Treatment Chemical Market Segment and Shares Analysis
The global industrial wastewater treatment chemical market can be segmented by product, application, end-user, and region.
The high efficiency of biocides & disinfectants in the treatment of drinking water, sewage, ship ballast, and anti-fouling agents is boosting the segmental growth of the product
The global industrial wastewater treatment chemical market is segmented into corrosion inhibitors, biocides & disinfectants, scale inhibitors, coagulants & flocculants, chelating agents, anti-foaming agents, ph adjusters, and stabilizers, and others. Out of the mentioned type, biocides & disinfectants are expected to grow at an unprecedented rate and it is likely to remain so for the forecast period. Biocides are chemicals used to kill all types of organisms in water, regardless of their size or life stage.
The biocides' efficiency depends on the chemical's concentration and exposure time. Biocides are primarily utilized to treat drinking water, sewage, ship ballast, and anti-fouling agents. Biocides are available in liquid and powder forms and ready-to-use formulations and concentrations and can be administered in various ways. They are classified as either oxidizing or non-oxidizing.
Biocides are added to cooling water to prevent bacteria, fungi, and algae from growing in the system. Chlorine, in the form of sodium hypochlorite, is probably the best broad-spectrum biocide and it is effective against most bacteria, including Legionella, at residual levels of 0.5 mg/l. On the other hand, a re-circulatory system means that bacteria are continuously exposed to the same chemical circumstances and resistant strains with built-in resistance to the biocide will eventually emerge and populate the system. A regular shot dose of an alternative biocide is recommended to avoid this and most chemical suppliers carry a variety of biocides for this purpose, both broad-spectrum and specialized.
Industrial Wastewater Treatment Chemical Market Geographical Analysis
North America has several benefits over other regions, such as more cost-effective chemical water treatment processes, a growing population, and a growing awareness of the importance of clean water
In 2020, North America held the largest industrial wastewater treatment chemicals market share, followed by Europe and Asia-Pacific. North America has several benefits over other regions, such as more cost-effective chemical water treatment processes, a growing population, and a growing awareness of clean water. The electricity, pulp & paper, pharmaceuticals, municipal, food & beverage, oil & gas, and refineries industries are the principal end-users of industrial wastewater treatment chemicals in North America.
In terms of value and volume, the U.S. dominates the industrial wastewater treatment chemicals market in North America. Chemicals for industrial wastewater treatment are mostly employed in the mining, food and beverage, and energy industries. Oil & gas and power are among the most important end-users in North American countries. Mexico is a developing country with growing oil production and a water treatment industry. As a result, Mexico's industrial wastewater treatment chemicals market has a bright future.
Industrial Wastewater Treatment Chemical Companies and Competitive Landscape
The global industrial wastewater treatment chemical market is highly competitive with local and international companies. Some prime companies contributing to the market's growth are Suez SA, Veolia Group, Lonza Group Ltd, Kurita Water Industries Ltd., BASF SE, Ecolab Inc, Kemira Oyj, Thermax Limited, Baker Hughes Inc, Akzo Nobel N.V, Dow Inc, SNF Floerger and others.
The major companies are adopting several growth strategies such as acquisitions, product launches, and collaborations, contributing to the global growth of the industrial wastewater treatment chemical market
- In January 2021, Suez acquired Heritage Hills Water & Sewer Systems in New York to use its water treatment system to serve industrial and municipal clients. The transaction was for USD 1.4 million.
Kemira Oyj
- Overview: Kemira is a global pioneer in water-intensive industries' sustainable chemical solutions. The company delivers the greatest products and knowledge to help our customers enhance the quality of their goods, processes, and resource efficiency. The main areas of interest are pulp and paper, water treatment, and oil and gas. Kemira generated yearly revenue of roughly EUR 2.4 billion and employed around 5,000 people in 2020. Kemira's stock is traded on the Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd exchange.
Product Portfolio:
- Kemira KemConnect DEX: The product is the ultimate technology for wastewater disinfection. It's based on a combination of catalyzed formic acid and hydrogen peroxide, which, when mixed properly, generate a highly effective performic acid solution (DEX-135). Peroxyl and hydroxyl radicals are formed when performic acid decomposes, killing bacteria and viruses. Water disinfection takes only a few minutes and the active component is no longer detectable an hour after the dose. DEX-135 degrades carbon dioxide and water with no hazardous disinfection by-products and no negative effects on marine biodiversity.
Key Development
- In September 2021, Kemira opened its new Asia-Pacific R&D center in Shanghai, China, to meet the rapidly growing market demand and accelerate efforts to develop renewable, biodegradable, and recyclable products.