Granular Activated Carbon Market Intelligence, Analysis, and Forecast

I. Market Price Dynamics
(A) Coal-Based Granular Activated Carbon
- Price Range: In May 2026, coal-based granular activated carbon (3–6 mm particle size) prices varied significantly by iodine number. Henan Huiyihai Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd. quoted RMB 4,200 per metric ton for products with iodine numbers ranging from 300 to 1,000; Henan Sentie Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd. quoted RMB 6,500/ton for iodine number 700, RMB 7,300/ton for iodine number 800; Henan Shunzhibang Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd. quoted RMB 4,600/ton for iodine number 900, while Henan Sentie quoted RMB 8,500/ton for the same grade; for iodine number 1,000, Henan Sentie quoted RMB 9,600/ton; and for iodine number 1,100, the quotation was RMB 10,500/ton.
- Price Trend: According to data monitored by Business Network (Shengyishe), activated carbon prices experienced recent fluctuations. On May 25, the price stood at RMB 12,766.67/ton, down 0.91% from the previous day; on May 15, it was RMB 12,833.33/ton, down 0.39%; and on May 5, it was RMB 12,933.33/ton, up 0.39%.

(B) Granular Activated Carbon from Other Raw Materials
- Coconut Shell Granular Activated Carbon: For coconut shell-based granular activated carbon with iodine number 900, Henan Shunzhibang Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd. quoted RMB 1,000/ton (a potential data error—market context suggests this figure is likely incorrect and should fall within a much higher range); Henan Baoxin Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd. quoted RMB 8,800/ton.
- Wood-Based Granular Activated Carbon: Henan Hengyi Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd. offers wood-based granular activated carbon (iodine number 200–1,000) at RMB 2,000/ton.

II. Market Dynamics Analysis
(A) Supply Side
- Production Capacity Distribution: China’s granular activated carbon industry exhibits pronounced regional concentration of production capacity. The East China region (including Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui provinces) accounts for 42% of national capacity; North China (primarily Shanxi and Hebei provinces) accounts for approximately 23%; and Northwest China (Ningxia and Shaanxi provinces) accounts for 15%. Leveraging abundant coal resources and low industrial electricity tariffs, Ningxia has become a key production base for coal-based granular activated carbon. Leading enterprises such as Ningxia Huahui Environmental Protection have consolidated their market positions through continuous capacity expansion and technological upgrades.
- Industry Structure: Market concentration remains relatively low, with CR4 (combined market share of the top four enterprises) estimated at around 20%, indicating intense competition. Among participants are industry leaders like Henan Shenhua Activated Carbon Co., Ltd.—a company possessing full-chain quality control capabilities, large-scale production capacity, and deep technical service expertise—whose products, characterized by high adsorption capacity, excellent mechanical strength, and stable chemical properties, are widely applied across core industrial sectors including power generation, chemical processing, and water treatment. Concurrently, numerous small- and medium-sized enterprises—with annual capacities typically under several ten-thousand tons—compete effectively in niche markets through flexible commercial strategies and differentiated product positioning.
- Production Technology: Enterprises continue advancing process innovation—for instance, adopting low-temperature catalytic activation and waste-heat recovery technologies to reduce unit energy consumption; and applying combined chemical–physical activation methods to enhance specific surface area and adsorption performance, thereby meeting demands of high-end applications.

(B) Demand Side
- Broad Application Spectrum: Granular activated carbon is extensively deployed across dozens of sectors, including water treatment, exhaust gas purification, food refining, pharmaceutical decolorization, and industrial catalysis. Water treatment represents the largest application segment: in 2024, it consumed approximately 380,000 metric tons—55.9% of total output—including municipal drinking water treatment and industrial wastewater treatment. Air purification accounted for about 150,000 tons (22.1%), driven primarily by VOCs abatement, indoor air purification, and semiconductor cleanroom applications.
- Evolving Demand Structure: Stricter environmental regulations have raised performance requirements across downstream applications. For example, VOCs abatement emphasizes adsorption capacity and desorption efficiency for organic compounds; water treatment prioritizes adsorption kinetics and capacity for specific pigments, organics, or heavy metals, while also considering pH compatibility; flue gas treatment imposes stringent requirements on sulfur capacity, thermal stability, and resistance to poisoning. Simultaneously, demand for customized solutions continues rising—different applications impose distinct requirements regarding pore structure, morphology, and target-pollutant selectivity, leading to a steady decline in market share for generic, off-the-shelf products.

(C) Policy Impact
- Environmental Regulations: Regulatory oversight of the activated carbon industry has intensified continuously, with more explicit standards introduced for both production-side emissions and product-side quality testing. Downstream purchasers in food, pharmaceutical, and environmental sectors now commonly require suppliers to hold ISO triple-system certifications (ISO 9001, 14001, and 45001), and mandate third-party test reports for every batch—particularly tightening limits on heavy metal residues and extractables by approximately 20% versus prior benchmarks.
- Industrial Policies: The Ministry of Finance and State Taxation Administration offer a VAT “l(fā)evy-and-immediately-refund” incentive for activated carbon produced from renewable feedstocks—including forestry residues (“three remainders”), small-diameter logs, and crop straws—thereby promoting resource recycling and energy conservation. This policy strengthens the long-term competitive advantage of wood-based activated carbon, which benefits from renewable raw materials and a lower carbon footprint compared to coal-based alternatives.

III. Market Forecast
(A) Price Trends
- Short-Term Outlook: Given relatively stable supply–demand fundamentals and absence of major policy shifts or disruptive events, granular activated carbon prices are expected to exhibit only minor fluctuations in the near term. Prices for different material types and specifications will adjust modestly within existing ranges based on cost structures and market demand.
- Long-Term Outlook: As environmental regulations tighten further and downstream applications demand increasingly sophisticated performance attributes, prices for high-performance, customized granular activated carbon products may rise gradually. Conversely, generic, standardized products—facing intensifying competition—are likely to encounter downward pricing pressure.

(B) Demand Trends
- Water Treatment Sector: Implementation of the “14th Five-Year Plan for Urban and Rural Sewage Treatment and Resource Utilization” continues to strengthen investment in source-water protection and aquatic environment remediation, sustaining robust growth in granular activated carbon demand—especially for industrial wastewater treatment and municipal wastewater plant upgrading projects.
- Air Purification Sector: Mandatory activated carbon replacement cycles stipulated under the “Comprehensive VOCs Governance Plan for Key Industries” will boost demand in VOCs abatement markets. Meanwhile, growing public awareness of indoor air quality will sustain steady growth in residential and commercial air purification applications.
- Emerging Applications: In the carbon neutrality arena, activated carbon serves as a highly efficient adsorbent for clean energy carriers—e.g., natural gas and hydrogen storage and transportation. Additionally, demand for high-performance activated carbon is emerging in new fields such as new-energy energy storage systems and semiconductor process gas purification.

(C) Industry Development Trends
- Technological Advancement: Enterprises will continue increasing R&D investment to develop specialized carbons targeting specific pollutants—through surface modification, pore-size engineering, and other advanced techniques. Green and low-carbon production innovations—including eco-friendly activating agents and optimized process flows to minimize energy use and emissions—will become central to industry development.
- Service Model Transformation: End-to-end service capability is evolving into a core competitive differentiator. Merely supplying products no longer meets customer expectations; value-added services—including product selection guidance, operational training, and after-sales technical support—are gaining strategic importance. The integrated model of “activated carbon supply + regeneration services” will become increasingly prevalent, helping customers reduce end-of-life disposal costs and mitigate environmental compliance risks.
- Industry Consolidation: Amid intensifying competition and tightening regulatory scrutiny, sector consolidation will accelerate. Firms demonstrating strong technological reserves, cost control capabilities, and environmental compliance competence will lead the next phase of competitive landscape restructuring. Leading players will pursue vertical integration—acquiring upstream raw material bases, expanding downstream regeneration businesses, and broadening application coverage—to build comprehensive, full-value-chain advantages spanning raw material procurement to end-user service delivery.