Air Pollution Control Systems Market: Power Plant Emission Control, Scrubber Demand & Market Forecast

According to IMARC Group's latest research publication, the global air pollution control systems market size reached USD 94.9 Billion in 2025. Looking forward, the market is expected to reach USD 158.0 Billion by 2034, exhibiting a growth rate (CAGR) of 5.66% during 2026-2034.

How AI is Reshaping the Future of the Air Pollution Control Systems Market

• Real-Time Emission Detection and Smart Sensor Networks: AI-powered IoT sensor systems continuously track pollutants like PM2.5, NO₂, and SO₂ with detection accuracies exceeding 94%, enabling instant identification of emission spikes across industrial facilities.
• AI-embedded machine learning models process real-time sensor data to accurately classify hazardous air pollutants and trigger automated alerts when thresholds are breached. This reduces human error and response lag in environmental compliance workflows significantly.
• Unlike traditional fixed monitoring stations, AI-integrated networks collect continuous, location-specific data that gives plant operators and regulators a far clearer and more actionable picture of air quality conditions at any given time.

Explore Updated 2026 Market Trends & Analysis

Air Pollution Control Systems Industry Overview

Stricter environmental regulations and rapid industrialization are the twin forces reshaping this market. In the U.S., the EPA tightened the primary annual PM2.5 standard from 12.0 to 9.0 micrograms per cubic meter in early 2024, directly driving procurement of advanced filtration systems. India sanctioned FGD retrofitting across 292 thermal plants in a project valued at over USD 6 billion, while Asia Pacific continues to lead globally, backed by massive government-funded clean air programs and the fastest-growing base of industrial polluters.

Air Pollution Control Systems Market Trends & Drivers

Tightening Regulations and Growing Public Health Awareness Governments aren't just recommending cleaner air anymore — they're mandating it, with real financial consequences for non-compliance. The U.S. EPA's February 2024 revision lowering the PM2.5 annual standard to 9.0 micrograms per cubic meter forced over 110,000 U.S. industrial facilities to reassess their filtration setups.

Industrial Expansion in Emerging Economies Asia Pacific alone accounted for the largest share of this market in 2024, with rapid industrialization across China, India, and Southeast Asia creating a near-insatiable demand for emission control infrastructure.

Technological Convergence: Carbon Capture Meets Emission Control A new product category is emerging at the intersection of traditional pollution control and decarbonization technology. More than 300 European facilities have already implemented emission control systems designed with carbon capture compatibility built in.

Leading Companies Operating in the Global Air Pollution Control Systems Industry

• Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises Inc.
• Beltran Technologies Inc.
• Elex AG
• FLSmidth & Co. A/S
• John Wood Group PLC
• KC Cottrell Co. Ltd.
• Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd.
• Monroe Environmental Corp.
• S.A. Hamon
• Southern Environmental Inc.
• Thermax Ltd.

Air Pollution Control Systems Market Report Segmentation

By Product Type:

• Scrubbers
• Thermal Oxidizers
• Catalytic Converters
• Electrostatic Precipitators
• Others

Scrubbers account for the majority of the market share, given their versatility across high-temperature, high-humidity gas streams and their ability to handle both particulate matter and gaseous pollutants. Their compact form factor and retrofit compatibility make them a preferred choice for industrial facilities upgrading existing infrastructure.

By Application:

• Chemical
• Iron and Steel
• Power Generation
• Cement
• Others

Power generation holds the largest application share, driven by coal-fired and thermal plants operating under stringent emission mandates. Nearly 60% of all pollution control equipment installations globally occur in this sector, addressing SOₓ, NOₓ, and particulate emissions.

Regional Insights:

• North America (United States, Canada)
• Asia Pacific (China, Japan, India, South Korea, Australia, Indonesia, Others)
• Europe (Germany, France, United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, Russia, Others)
• Latin America (Brazil, Mexico, Others)
• Middle East and Africa

Asia Pacific leads the market, driven by rising partnerships among key players and aggressive government investment in pollution monitoring and control. Countries like China and India are deploying next-generation emission control infrastructure at a scale unmatched in other regions.

Recent News and Developments in the Air Pollution Control Systems Market

• June 2025: FLSmidth announced the divestiture of its Air Pollution Control (APC) business to Rubicon Partners, a U.K.-based industrial investment firm. The transaction includes all related assets intellectual property, technology, employees, and order backlog with closure expected in the second half of 2025, signaling a major strategic realignment in the competitive landscape.
• February 2025: ANDRITZ completed the acquisition of LDX Solutions, expanding its air pollution control technology portfolio with new capabilities across industrial emission filtration and gas treatment applications, strengthening its position in the fast-growing Asia Pacific and North American markets.

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