U.S. Activated Carbon Market Size & Share Analysis - Trends, Drivers, Competitive Landscape, and Forecasts (2025 - 2032)

U.S. Activated Carbon Market Dynamics

Evolving Application in Pharmaceutical and Healthcare sector Is Major Trend

• Activated carbon has a strong adsorption capacity, which reduces contamination without affecting the pH or mineral content, which makes it a critical component in pharmaceutical processing.
• It is also utilized to lower cholesterol, treat cholestasis during pregnancy, and function as an anti-flatulent in radiography procedures.
• It is used in several over-the-counter medicines and wound dressing products for odor masking, to prevent sepsis.
• About 40 million people in the country have diabetes, which is a key risk factor for chronic wounds.
• Activated carbon is also used to treat drug overdoses and poisoning because it absorbs toxins and prevents them from dissolving in the blood.

Rising Demand for Clean Water and Air Drives Market

• People in the country are becoming increasingly environment and health-conscious as the last few years have seen a sudden rise in the incidence of respiratory problems due to pollution.
• According to the Respiratory Health Association, 137 million people in the U.S. live in cities with a severe air quality.
• This drives the market as activated carbon is used in the filters of air purifiers and HVAC systems.
• In the automotive industry, activated carbon is used in the air filters of cars.

With the growth in the popularity of EVs, activated carbon is increasingly being used in supercapacitors to support fast charging and enhanced battery performance.

Activated carbon is also used in the process of water treatment as it absorbs all impurities, such as chlorine, heavy metals, and other volatile organic compounds.

Segmentation Analysis

Type Insights

The powdered category is the largest with 65% share in 2024, owing to the increase in its usage in water treatment due to its excellent pore structure and adsorption properties. The powdered form remains popular in sewage treatment since it mixes easily with water. This is followed by the flocculation or sedimentation of the water. The final step of the water treatment process includes the filtration of water to create treated water. In general, PAC is sourced from organic materials, such as coal, wood, and lignite, which have a high carbon content.

The types studied in the report are:

• Powdered (Largest Category)
• Granular (Fastest-growing Category)
• Others

Form Insights

Gas-phase is the larger category in this segment, generating around USD 0.5 billion in 2024, due to its applications in air purification, industrial VOC removal, emission control, and pollution management. The high demand for this variant stems from the need to meet strict air quality regulations of the EPA for the automotive, chemical manufacturing, and municipal air treatment industries.

The forms covered in this report are:

• Gas Phase (Larger Category)
• Liquid Phase (Faster-Growing Category)

Application Insights

The water treatment category dominated the market in 2024 with 45% share. This is credited to the increasing demand for clean drinking water, strict water quality regulations, and growing need for wastewater treatment in various industries. Activated carbon is widely used in both municipal and industrial water purification systems to remove impurities, toxins, chlorine, and other contaminants. As per an article by the University of Michigan, 34 billion gallons of water are treated every day in the U.S. by around 25,000 publicly owned treatment works.

We studied the following applications:

• Water Treatment (Largest Category)
• Food and Beverages
• Pharmaceuticals and Medical (Fastest-growing Category)
• Automotive
• Air Purification
• Others

Raw Material Insights

The coal category dominates the market in 2024. This is because coal-based activated carbon is cheaper and has more air and water adsorption power in most industrial applications. The low price and accessibility of coal ensure large-scale production and consumption. According to the Energy Information Administration, 560 coal mines exited in the country in 2023, compared to 540 in 2022.

The raw materials included in this report:

• Coal (Largest Category)
• Coconut (Fastest-growing Category)
• Peat
• Wood
• Others

U.S. Activated Carbon Market Regional Outlook

The South region is the largest with a 2024 share of 35%. The key industries in the South region, including petrochemicals, automotive, and power generation, depend on activated carbon for emission control, water treatment, and other purposes. Texas, Louisiana, and Alabama have a large number of chemical plants and energy production facilities, which consume activated carbon in massive quantities. Moreover, the high concentration of manufacturing and processing hubs in this region increases the demand for this material in all these applications.

The regions covered in this are:

• Northeast
• Midwest
• West (Fastest-growing Category)
• South (Largest Category)

U.S. Activated Carbon Market Share

• The market is highly fragmented as activated carbon is not a specialized chemical requiring technical expertise or extensive capital for mass production.
• This is why a large number of small and medium-sized companies produce the commodity in the country, alongside a few major chemical corporations.
• The import of this commodity from numerous smaller Asian companies further fragments the market.
• Additionally, the availability of several cheap raw materials in bulk allows companies to easily achieve economies of scale.