Carbon Tetrachloride Market - Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, Segmented By Grade (Pharmaceutical, Industrial, Analytical, Others), By End User (Cleaning, Chemicals, Agriculture, Paints, Plastics & Rubber, Others), By Region & Competition, 2021-2031F

Market Overview

The Global Carbon Tetrachloride Market will grow from USD 1.42 Billion in 2025 to USD 1.87 Billion by 2031 at a 4.69% CAGR. Carbon tetrachloride is a volatile organic compound predominantly utilized as a chemical feedstock for the production of hydrofluorocarbons and hydrofluoroolefins. The Global Carbon Tetrachloride Market is driven by the essential role of these derivatives in the refrigeration, air conditioning, and foam-blowing sectors, which require consistent raw material supplies. Furthermore, the compound’s utility as a process agent in the synthesis of agricultural chemicals and chlorinated rubber supports ongoing industrial demand, ensuring its continued relevance in specialized chemical manufacturing supply chains.

Nevertheless, market expansion is severely restricted by regulatory frameworks under the Montreal Protocol that aim to eliminate ozone-depleting emissions. These regulations confine the compound strictly to feedstock applications and impose rigorous liability for containment and disposal, creating a high barrier to entry and increasing operational costs. According to the European Environment Agency, in 2024, Carbon Tetrachloride accounted for 79% of the total quantity of destroyed Annex I controlled substances in the European Union, illustrating the substantial compliance burden associated with managing this regulated chemical.

Key Market Drivers

Increasing demand as a primary feedstock for Hydrofluoroolefin (HFO) refrigerants serves as a major catalyst propelling the market. As regulations phase out hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), the industry is transitioning to low-global-warming-potential alternatives like HFO-1234yf, which rely on Carbon Tetrachloride as a critical precursor. This shift ensures consistent industrial consumption despite restrictions on emissive uses. According to Cooling Post, February 2025, sales of Chemours' Opteon brand HFO refrigerants grew 14% in 2024, highlighting the robust uptake of these compliant solutions. The immense scale of this application sector is further evidenced by financial results from key leaders; according to Manufacturing Dive, October 2025, Honeywell’s Solstice Advanced Materials business generated $3.8 billion in net sales in 2024, driven largely by the demand for refrigerants.

Accelerated industrialization and chemical sector growth in the Asia-Pacific region simultaneously reinforce market expansion. Countries such as India and China have established themselves as essential hubs for the production of chlorinated solvents, utilizing integrated manufacturing capabilities to meet international requirements. This regional growth is characterized by high export volumes and the modernization of chlor-alkali facilities to maintain competitive supply chains. According to the World Integrated Trade Solution, in 2024, India ranked as a top global supplier, exporting a total of 1,580,780 Kg of Carbon Tetrachloride. This production vitality in Asia-Pacific compensates for capacity rationalizations in western markets, securing the region's position as a pivot for global chemical availability.

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Key Market Challenges

Regulatory Constraints and Compliance Burdens

The Global Carbon Tetrachloride Market faces substantial growth impediments due to the stringent regulatory frameworks established under the Montreal Protocol. By mandating the phase-out of ozone-depleting emissions, these regulations restrict the compound almost exclusively to feedstock applications, effectively eliminating its use in historical sectors such as industrial solvents and cleaning agents. This confinement prevents market diversification and forces manufacturers to operate within a highly scrutinized niche. Furthermore, the requirement for absolute containment necessitates significant capital investment in emission control technologies, which elevates operational costs and creates formidable barriers to entry for new market participants.

The impact of these restrictions is underscored by the sheer scale of material locked into this single, regulated pathway. According to the Technology and Economic Assessment Panel May 2024 Progress Report, the reported global production of controlled substances for feedstock use reached 1,943,134 metric tonnes, a volume significantly driven by the specific demand for carbon tetrachloride in hydrofluoroolefin synthesis. This data illustrates how the market is structurally bound to a constrained application, making expansion dependent entirely on the regulatory status and demand of downstream derivatives rather than broader commercial utility.

Key Market Trends

The expansion of capacities for pyrethroid insecticide synthesis represents a significant trend, creating a resilient demand stream for Carbon Tetrachloride distinct from the refrigerant sector. As agricultural standards evolve, manufacturers are scaling up infrastructure to produce synthetic pyrethroids like cypermethrin, which rely on this chlorinated solvent as a crucial process agent. This growth is centered on securing independent feedstock availability to mitigate supply volatility and meet the rising global requirement for crop protection chemicals. According to Heranba Industries Limited's Q2 FY25 Earnings Conference Call in November 2024, the company successfully initiated commercial production at Phase-I of its new Sarigam facility, a strategic development aimed at augmenting its agrochemical manufacturing volumes and strengthening its backward integration capabilities.

Simultaneously, the strategic internal valorization of chlor-alkali by-products is reshaping supply dynamics by converting disposal liabilities into economic assets. Producers are increasingly integrating downstream chloromethane units to capture and utilize captive Carbon Tetrachloride within the facility, rather than treating it solely as a regulated waste product. This approach optimizes chlorine utilization and ensures compliance with non-emissive feedstock mandates while improving overall plant profitability. According to Epigral Limited, November 2024, the revenue contribution from its derivatives and specialty chemicals segment reached 56% in the first half of fiscal year 2025, underscoring the commercial success of transitioning towards such deep downstream integration models.

Segmental Insights

The Chemicals segment is emerging as the fastest-growing category within the Global Carbon Tetrachloride Market due to increasing demand for feedstock applications. This expansion is primarily driven by the utilization of carbon tetrachloride as a critical raw material in the production of hydrofluoroolefins and hydrofluorocarbons, which serve as essential refrigerants and foam-blowing agents. While the Montreal Protocol strictly regulates emissive uses of this compound, its consumption as a non-dispersive chemical feedstock remains a vital industrial requirement, thereby sustaining the upward trajectory of the chemicals sector.

Regional Insights

Asia Pacific maintains a dominant position in the global carbon tetrachloride market, driven primarily by the robust chemical manufacturing sectors in China and India. The region utilizes substantial quantities of carbon tetrachloride as a feedstock for producing hydrofluorocarbons and hydrofluoroolefins, which are vital for the refrigeration and foam industries. This specific industrial application is permissible under the Montreal Protocol, provided the chemical is entirely consumed during the process. Consequently, the continuous expansion of fluorochemical production capabilities in these major economies ensures steady regional demand despite strict international regulations on dispersive uses.

Recent Developments

• In September 2025, Olin Corporation and Mitsui & Co., Ltd. announced the mutual decision to dissolve their joint venture, Blue Water Alliance JV, LLP, which had been established to facilitate the global trading of chlor-alkali products and derivatives. The termination of this collaboration allows Olin Corporation to restructure its participation in the vinyls value chain and broaden its optionality for chlorine derivatives, a category that includes carbon tetrachloride. The Chairman of Olin Corporation stated that this strategic shift is aimed at reducing exposure to volatile merchant markets and optimizing the company's portfolio to focus on longer-term structural opportunities in the industry.
• In May 2025, Arkema S.A. announced a strategic commercial arrangement with Honeywell International Inc. to expand its portfolio of lower Global Warming Potential (GWP) refrigerant solutions. Through this collaboration, Arkema will market and sell a range of hydrofluoroolefin (HFO) blends, which are produced using carbon tetrachloride as a key raw material, under its own brand to the global heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVACR) sectors. This partnership is designed to strengthen global supply chains and ensure the continued availability of next-generation refrigerants that support the industry's transition away from high-GWP hydrofluorocarbons.
• In October 2024, the Board of Directors of SRF Limited approved a significant capital expenditure project to develop fourth-generation refrigerants at its chemical complex. The project, with an estimated investment of ₹1,100 crore, aims to establish an integrated facility for the manufacture of low-Global Warming Potential (GWP) hydrofluoroolefin (HFO) refrigerants, for which carbon tetrachloride serves as a critical feedstock. This strategic move is intended to strengthen the company's position in the global fluorochemicals market and cater to the rising demand for sustainable cooling solutions that comply with evolving environmental regulations.
• In February 2024, Grasim Industries Limited received environmental clearance from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in India for the expansion of its chemical manufacturing facility in Balabhadrapuram, Andhra Pradesh. The approved project involves the installation and capacity expansion of various units, including a specific production capacity of 70 Tonnes Per Day (TPD) for Carbon Tetrachloride and 150 TPD for Chloromethanes. This development is part of a broader investment estimated at ₹2,450 crore to enhance the company's chlor-alkali and derivatives portfolio, which also includes increasing caustic soda and chlorine derivative capacities to meet growing industrial demand.

Key Market Players

• Olin Corporation
• Solvay
• Dow
• INEOS
• Tata Chemicals
• Shandong Haihua
• Gujarat Fluorochemicals
• Nouryon
• Stepan Company
• Mitsubishi Chemical

Report Scope:

In this report, the Global Carbon Tetrachloride Market has been segmented into the following categories, in addition to the industry trends which have also been detailed below:

• Carbon Tetrachloride Market, By Grade:

• Pharmaceutical
• Industrial
• Analytical
• Others

• Carbon Tetrachloride Market, By End User:

• Cleaning
• Chemicals
• Agriculture
• Paints
• Plastics & Rubber
• Others

• Carbon Tetrachloride Market, By Region:

• North America
• United States
• Canada
• Mexico
• Europe
• France
• United Kingdom
• Italy
• Germany
• Spain
• Asia Pacific
• China
• India
• Japan
• Australia
• South Korea
• South America
• Brazil
• Argentina
• Colombia
• Middle East & Africa
• South Africa
• Saudi Arabia
• UAE