The basis matters: these are total full-project (greenfield) installed budgets — the all-in figure including land, site infrastructure, permitting, owner's costs and contingency, not just the reactor. That is a much wider boundary than the equipment / turnkey ranges on our global cost guide, so the same plant reads far higher here. Each range spans lean/modular (low) to full greenfield chemical recycling (high), bracketed by real projects (PlasCred CAD $25M → Brightmark $260M). Cells are labelled indicative — derived or data-sparse; nothing is presented as a firm single-site quote. The core plant equipment APChemi delivers is a fraction of the all-in budget.
How Much Does a Pyrolysis Plant Cost in the USA & Canada? (50–200 TPD by Feedstock)
Large-capacity North-American costs on a full-project installed basis. Only the 100 TPD plastic cell has a confirmed public anchor (PlasCred Neos, Canada); the rest are indicative ranges derived from the global turnkey basis plus the North-American premium — shown as ranges, never as fixed prices.
| Feedstock | 50 TPD | 100 TPD | 150 TPD | 200 TPD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plastic (mixed) | $8M–$43M indicative — derived | $17M–$86M indicative — derived | $25M–$129M data-sparse | $33M–$172M data-sparse |
| Tire (end-of-life) | $16M–$50M data-sparse | $33M–$99M data-sparse | $50M–$149M data-sparse | $66M–$198M data-sparse |
| Biomass (→ biochar/oil) | $13M–$45M data-sparse | $26M–$90M data-sparse | $40M–$135M data-sparse | $53M–$180M data-sparse |
Total full-project (greenfield) installed cost. Ranges span lean/modular plants at the low end (e.g. Canada's PlasCred Neos — CAD $25M / 100 TPD, ≈ $500/annual tonne) to full greenfield chemical-recycling builds at the high end (Brightmark, Encina ≈ $2,400–$2,600/annual tonne of feedstock). The core plant equipment — APChemi's scope — is a fraction of an all-in greenfield budget (which also carries land, site infrastructure, air permitting, owner's costs and contingency). No public single-site North-American tire or biomass TPD-priced quote exists — those cells are indicative only. Matrix TPD→t/yr at a ~330-day operating year; named project anchors are quoted at their nameplate kt/yr; CAD ≈ US$0.73. North America's lean-modular segment (e.g. PlasCred) sets a genuinely lower plastic floor than Europe, where every plastic anchor is full chemical recycling — see our Europe page. Request a North-American estimate.
APChemi engineers pyrolysis plants for US & Canadian projects — IRA 45Z and Clean-Technology ITC ready, at a fraction of North-American turnkey-peer CAPEX. Get a region-specific cost breakdown.
Why North-American Pyrolysis Plants Cost More
A full North-American greenfield project costs many times the bare equipment — real builds run from tens of millions for a lean modular plant to hundreds of millions for a large all-in greenfield (Brightmark committed $260M for ~274 TPD; Encina's cancelled Pennsylvania project was $1.1B for ~1,233 TPD). The gap is land, site infrastructure, US/Canadian civil and electrical codes, owner's costs, contingency — and, critically, air permitting: major-source New Source Review can take ~12 months plus Title V operating permits, and Encina was cancelled in 2024 after a deficient review. Budget for the whole project, not just the reactor — and note that the core plant APChemi delivers is a fraction of that all-in figure.
Real North-American Projects — the Cost Evidence
| Project (location) | Feedstock | CAPEX | Capacity | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PlasCred Neos, Fort Saskatchewan (AB) | Plastic | CAD $25M (+ $5M ERA grant) | 100 TPD (~36.5 kt/yr) | Confirmed — lean modular project; the LOW end of the range (~$500/annual t) |
| ExxonMobil Baytown + Beaumont (TX) | Plastic | $200M+ (expansion) | +159 kt/yr | Brownfield / integrated — not a greenfield proxy |
| Brightmark, Ashley (IN) | Plastic | $260M | 100 kt/yr nameplate | Cautionary — reached ~5% capacity, Ch.11 in 2025 |
| Klean, Boardman (OR) | Tire | $150M (combined two-site) | 120 TPD | Cost is combined Boardman + UK — NOT a single-site rate |
| Ecolomondo, Hawkesbury (ON) | Tire | ~US$33.5M (CAD $32.1M EDC financing) | ~36 TPD | Operational Jan 2024 |
| Eastman, Kingsport (TN) | PET (methanolysis) | $250M | 110 kt/yr | Methanolysis, not pyrolysis — scale reference only |
US Incentives (Post-OBBBA, 2026)
§45Z Clean Fuel Production Credit (post-OBBBA)
Up to $1.00/gal (PWA-compliant); SAF capped at $1.00 (cut from $1.75)Sunset 31 Dec 2029. North-American feedstock only from 2026. Requires GREET CI pathway approval — not automatic.
§45Q Carbon Sequestration
$85/t point-source; $180/t direct air captureRelevant only if carbon capture is attached.
§48C Advanced Energy Project Credit
30% ITC — $10B program EXHAUSTEDFully allocated over two rounds; no open round. Do not assume access.
Virginia Recyclable Materials Processing Credit
20% income-tax credit (statewide cap $2M)DEQ certification required; through 2026 tax years.
Canada Incentives (2026)
Clean Technology Manufacturing ITC
30% refundable on eligible machinery/equipment30% rate through 2031, then 20%/10%/5% phase-down to 2034. Automatic via CRA — broader than the competitive US §48C (a key Canadian-buyer advantage).
Clean Hydrogen ITC
Up to 40% refundable (turquoise H₂ / methane pyrolysis)Property in use on/after 16 Dec 2024.
Clean Fuel Regulations (CFR) credit
~CAD $80 → ~CAD $375/t (2025); ceiling CAD $380/tActive federal credit market — more actionable than the carbon-price floor.
Alberta ERA grants + APIP
ERA grants (PlasCred won CAD $5M); APIP 12% on capex (min CAD $50M project)TIER-funded; continuous intake.
Quebec biomass pyrolysis-oil credit
Carbon-intensity-variable refundable rate; cap 300M L/yrThe legacy flat CAD $0.08/L ended in 2023 — value now scales with CI reduction. Biomass only.
North-American Carbon Prices & Biochar Credits
US biochar CDR
~$150/t
CO₂ · biomass only
Canada CFR credit
CAD $80–375/t
2025 range
California LCFS
~$40–70/t
volatile 2025 band
Biochar CDR credits apply only to biomass pyrolysis — never to plastic or tire pyrolysis oil. California cap-and-invest cleared at its ~$25.87/t floor in Q3 2025; Canada's federal carbon benchmark is CAD $95/t (2026), though most 50–200 TPD plants sit below the 50,000 tCO₂e/yr obligation threshold.
The North-American Regulatory Landscape
25 US states now classify advanced recycling as manufacturing (not waste) — roughly half the country — which streamlines permitting. Federal classification is still evolving — the EPA's treatment of pyrolysis under its incinerator (OSWI) definition remains under reconsideration and is not finalised. North America accounts for ~39.5% of global recovered-carbon-black revenue. The pipeline is large but risk-loaded — Encina's 450 kt/yr plant was cancelled and Brightmark's Indiana plant reached bankruptcy — so a partner with delivered, de-risked projects matters.
APChemi for North-American Projects
North-American mega-projects have run hundreds of millions of dollars — and several have stalled. APChemi delivers EU-grade ISCC PLUS / CE / ATEX-compliant pyrolysis engineering at a fraction of North-American turnkey-peer CAPEX, with 49+ commercial projects delivered, 4 ISCC PLUS-certified plants, ISO 9001:2015 certification, and Lloyd's Register (LRQA)-verified engineering — the de-risked partner for a US or Canadian project.
Get a North-American full-project cost estimate for your feedstock, capacity and state/province — free.
Get a North-American Estimate →North-American Standards & Permitting
| Standard | Covers | Status |
|---|---|---|
| NFPA 86 (2023) | Ovens & furnaces — reactor enclosures | Mandatory (OSHA 29 CFR 1910.107) |
| NFPA 660 (Dec 2024) | Combustible dusts — biomass / char handling | Mandatory |
| UL / NRTL (US) · CSA Group (Canada) | Electrical & control equipment | Mandatory (OSHA-recognised NRTL) |
| ASTM D7544 / D8178 | Pyrolysis bio-oil spec / recovered carbon black definition | Contract / product spec |
North-American Pyrolysis Cost — FAQs
A full-project (greenfield) North-American plant ranges from ~$8M for a lean modular plant to $230M+ for a large greenfield build — real projects span Canada's PlasCred Neos (CAD $25M / 100 TPD) to Brightmark ($260M) and Encina ($1.1B). That all-in figure includes land, site infrastructure, permitting, owner's costs and contingency; the core plant equipment is a fraction of it. These are indicative ranges, not fixed quotes. See the global cost guide for the equipment-turnkey basis.
Canada's PlasCred Neos plant (Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta) is the confirmed anchor: CAD $25M for 100 TPD plastic-to-circular-naphtha, full-project. US projects run higher on labour and permitting. Larger US plastic projects (Brightmark $260M / 100 kt; ExxonMobil $200M+ brownfield expansion) are different bases — not directly comparable. Get a North-American estimate.
Yes, but the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (signed July 2025) changed it: the §45Z Clean Fuel Production Credit now sunsets 31 Dec 2029, requires North-American feedstock for fuel sold from 2026, caps SAF at $1.00/gal (cut from $1.75), and pyrolysis oil qualifies only with an approved GREET carbon-intensity pathway — it is not automatic. The §48C 30% ITC program is fully exhausted. Consult tax counsel.
Canada's Clean Technology Manufacturing ITC (30% refundable) is automatic via the CRA — broader and simpler than the competitive, now-exhausted US §48C. The Clean Fuel Regulations credit (CAD $80–$375/t in 2025) is the most actionable revenue line, plus Alberta ERA grants / APIP and the Quebec biomass pyrolysis-oil credit.
Yes — biomass biochar earns CDR credits at roughly $150/tonne CO₂ in the US voluntary market (Isometric, Puro.earth), the high end of the global range. This applies only to biomass biochar, never to plastic or tire pyrolysis oil. California LCFS and Canada's CFR provide additional, jurisdiction-specific revenue.
Planning a US or Canadian pyrolysis project?
APChemi's engineers provide free, region-specific cost, incentive and permitting assessments for North-American projects.
Get a Free Project Assessment →Explore More
Pyrolysis Plant Cost (Global Guide)
The main cost guide — capacity, feedstock, ROI, and APChemi pricing.
Pyrolysis Plant Cost — Europe
European full-project costs, EU incentives, ISCC PLUS / CE / ATEX.
Plastic Pyrolysis
Feedstock economics for mixed-plastic chemical recycling.
Biochar & Carbon Removal
How biomass biochar earns CDR carbon credits.