Over the past year, several international developments regarding PP honeycomb cores are worth noting: recycled-content regulations are driving material upgrades, biofilm carrier research is clarifying performance boundaries, and honeycomb structures are showing application potential in VOCs treatment and microplastics removal. For environmental equipment integrators and filter media manufacturers, these trends are shaping selection logic.
1. EU Regulations: Recycled Content Becomes a Hard Indicator
In August 2026, the EU End-of-Life Vehicles Regulation took effect, requiring new vehicles to contain at least 15% recycled plastic from 2032, rising to 25% by 2036. Germany’s ThermHex has launched an RPP recycled PP honeycomb core, with the middle layer of the honeycomb wall containing up to 80% post-consumer recycled PP. The finished product contains over 25% recycled material, and its processing is consistent with standard PP honeycomb core. If customers need to export to the EU, it is advisable to mark product recyclability and material consistency in advance.
2. Biofilm Carriers: Surface Treatment Affects Attachment Efficiency
Several studies in 2025 show that surface modification of PP carriers can significantly improve biofilm attachment. CPAM-modified structured PP packing achieved a maximum toluene elimination capacity of 78.62 g·m⁻³·h⁻¹. Corrugated PP structures showed the highest volumetric biomass accumulation (176 mg/dm³) and an effective surface area of 5,255 cm². When smooth PP honeycomb core is used as a biofilm carrier, it is advisable to proactively ask customers whether surface roughening is needed.
3. Microplastics and VOCs: Retention and Concentration Potential of Honeycomb Structures
Microplastics removal research reveals that honeycomb-like structures can improve removal efficiency through physical retention, with larger and irregular microplastic particles being more easily retained. In commercial cases, Ceracom’s carbon honeycomb filter in South Korea has been used for VOCs treatment in Samsung Heavy Industries’ ship painting process, with inlet concentrations of 10–4,134 ppm and empty bed velocities of 1.2–3 m/s, significantly reducing equipment size compared with traditional granular carbon. The logic of honeycomb geometry reducing system size and improving adsorption/concentration efficiency also applies to PP honeycomb cores.
4. Market Trends: Lightweighting Drives Growth; Environmental Filtration Is an Incremental Scenario
QYResearch data shows that the global thermoplastic PP honeycomb core market was about USD 559 million in 2025 and is expected to reach USD 1.001 billion by 2032, with a CAGR of 8.8%. Growth mainly comes from lightweighting demand in automotive and aerospace. Environmental filtration is not yet a mainstream application, but large-scale automotive production has helped lower costs, making PP honeycomb cores more cost-effective in filtration scenarios.
5. Selection and Communication Advice
Mark recyclability in advance: In addition to RoHS, add material recyclability information to leave room for EU compliance reviews.
Biofilm carrier scenarios: Proactively offer surface treatment options; do not assume smooth surfaces are sufficient.
VOCs treatment scenarios: Use commercial honeycomb structure cases to explain the logic of reducing system size.
Clear positioning: PP honeycomb core is a structural support material; filtration/adsorption functions are achieved by filled activated carbon or attached biofilm.