# Polypropylene

Polypropylene: the most-produced plastic, a light, stiff, heat-resistant polymer used for packaging, woven sacks, car parts, fibres and housewares.

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/polypropylene/

Pseudo-commodities · Commodity plastics · No. 48

- Single chemical
- Feedstock: Oil, gas or coal
- about 96 Mt a year of demand (2024, up 3.6% on 2023)
- 1.7 t CO₂e per t
- HS 390210
 Pseudo-commodities · Commodity plastics · Foundation · Matter

The lightest commodity plastic is also the most made: from bottle caps to the woven sacks carrying India's cement.

Chart: Illustration: Polypropylene

##### Where it comes from

Chart: Map of where it comes from

Propylene from naphtha crackers, refinery units, propane dehydrogenation or coal is polymerised with titanium catalysts. At about 0.90 g per cm3 it is the lightest commodity plastic.

##### Three things to know

1. PP is the biggest single plastic, about 19% of the 431 Mt made in 2024.
2. World PP capacity grew by 24 Mt in five years, 17 Mt of it in China, pushing run rates down to 75% in 2025.
3. After the Hormuz disruption, PP raffia CFR South Asia jumped from $915 a tonne on 25 February 2026 to $1,380 on 18 March.

##### The journey

1. 1 **Propylene**Crackers, refineries, PDH or coal
2. 2 **Polymerisation**Ziegler-Natta catalyst, 20-40 bar, 70-80 C
3. 3 **Pellets**Additives compounded, 25 kg bags
4. 4 **Conversion**Moulding, BOPP film, raffia, spunbond lines
5. 5 **End of life**Rigid PP recyclable; BOPP mostly burnt
 Covered in [The chemical industry: what it makes and how it is organisedChemicals](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/chemicals/chem-industry-map/)[How a chemical process works: reactions, separations, catalysts and flowsheetsChemicals](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/chemicals/how-chemical-processes-work/)[From building blocks to plastics, fibres and detergentsChemicals](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/chemicals/building-blocks-to-polymers/)[Colour and protection: dyes, pigments, paints and coatingsChemicals](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/chemicals/dyes-pigments-coatings/)[Bioplastics: PLA, PHA, bio-PE and starch blendsChemicals](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/chemicals/bioplastics-pla-pha-biope-starch/)[Using energy: food, materials, mobility and buildingsEnergy](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/energy/using-energy/)

##### Go deeper pick a tab to open it in full

## Other sections

- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/polypropylene/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/polypropylene/correlation/index.md)
- [Production route](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/polypropylene/routes/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/polypropylene/production/index.md)
- [Feedstocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/polypropylene/feedstocks/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/polypropylene/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/polypropylene/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/polypropylene/movement/index.md)
- [Regulation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/polypropylene/regulation/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/polypropylene/characteristics/index.md)
- [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/polypropylene/emissions/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/polypropylene/links/index.md)