Peracetic Acid - Market Share Analysis, Industry Trends & Statistics, Growth Forecasts (2025 - 2030)

Peracetic Acid Market Analysis

The Peracetic Acid Market size is estimated at 375.78 kilotons in 2025, and is expected to reach 497.21 kilotons by 2030, at a CAGR of 5.76% during the forecast period (2025-2030). The outlook benefits from regulatory shifts that discourage chlorine‐based biocides, uptake in low‐temperature sterilization systems, and ongoing investment in water reuse infrastructure. Rising demand from food processors that require broad-spectrum antimicrobials approved for organic handling and residue-free sanitation further supports volume gains. Producers are also capitalizing on process innovations that stabilize aqueous blends, lower shipping costs, and cut worker exposure risks. Acquisitions in Asia-Pacific and North America underline a strategic pivot toward regional production hubs able to serve high-growth end-uses quickly.

Global Peracetic Acid Market Trends and Insights

Growing Demand From Water Treatment Industry

Municipal and industrial operators are switching to peracetic acid because it breaks down into acetic acid, water, and oxygen, thus avoiding regulated disinfection by-products. The 2024 PFAS drinking-water rule has intensified scrutiny of residual chemicals, and pilot trials confirm that peracetic acid achieves superior virus and protozoa inactivation across wide pH ranges. Retrofit costs stay low because the oxidant can be dosed through existing bleach feed lines, trimming capital outlays. Operators also report lower biofilm build-up in membranes, which reduces cleaning cycles and extends asset life. These performance and compliance benefits combine to raise average dose volumes in large municipal systems, particularly through 2027 when tighter effluent targets phase in across China and the United States.

Food-safety Regulations Boosting Food and Beverage Sanitation

USDA organic rules permit peracetic acid for equipment and surface sanitation, and a 500 ppm residue exemption by the EPA removes microbiological hold-time delays common with legacy chlorine rinses. Processors that adopt dry or foam-stabilized peracetic acid formulations are cutting water usage and achieving quicker line changeovers, which improves throughput in meat and produce facilities. Studies show the biocide is lethal to Salmonella and Listeria at sub-100 ppm doses, supporting clean-label positioning. The October 2024 OSHA guidance for meat-packing highlighted peracetic acid as a validated bacterial control option, accelerating conversions in high-risk plants. Smaller processors, once deterred by short shelf life, now purchase diluted bag-in-box systems with six-month stability, opening new rural demand pockets.

Occupational Hazards and Handling Challenges

OSHA lists peracetic acid among highly hazardous chemicals, triggering process-safety rules at inventories above 1,000 lb. Facilities must install dedicated ventilation and continuous monitors because the vapor threshold limit is 1.24 mg/m³. Small processors sometimes lack capital for these controls, slowing adoption. Even where budgets allow, staff require fit-tested respirators and chemical splash PPE, raising training costs. Corrosivity toward soft metals demands polymer or stainless piping, adding to retrofit expenses. Although automatic dosing systems reduce direct handling, insurers still impose higher premiums until multi-year incident rates prove favorable.

Other drivers and restraints analyzed in the detailed report include:

1. Growth in Low-temperature Sterilization of Medical Devices
2. Shift From Chlorine to Eco-friendly Pulp-bleaching Agents
3. High Cost Versus Chlorine-based Substitutes

For complete list of drivers and restraints, kindly check the Table Of Contents.

Segment Analysis

Liquid solutions represented 68.17% of the peracetic acid market in 2024, equivalent to more than 255 kilo tons. Reliability, supply familiarity, and low formulation complexity sustain this lead. The peracetic acid market size for liquid products is projected to climb steadily as municipalities, dairies, and beverage lines stick with established feed systems. However, aqueous blends are scaling fastest at a 5.98% CAGR. Suppliers now formulate buffered peracetic acid with hydrogen peroxide and stabilizers that extend shelf life up to 12 months, slashing disposal costs. Blends are shipped at lower concentrations, qualifying for less stringent transport codes that widen rural reach. Equipment makers are pairing these blends with inline dilution modules that trim worker exposure, stoking adoption across craft breweries and decentralized water reuse units. Powder and granule formats occupy niche hygiene needs where long storage or zero-spill transport is vital, such as remote mines and military kitchens.

Technological progress supports form diversification. Foam-stabilized sprays cling to vertical surfaces, giving longer contact time in hatcheries and slaughterhouses. Dry-blended sachets dissolve on-site and generate targeted strengths for produce washes, reducing weight and freight. Suppliers claim 20% lower carbon footprints for dry product distribution. Over the forecast window, rising energy costs and net-zero goals should push users toward concentrated dry forms despite reconstitution steps. Overall, form variety strengthens supplier resilience and encourages customization, yet liquids will likely retain bulk dominance until regulatory moves or insurance premiums decisively penalize high-strength storage.

The peracetic acid market reported 54.17% share for the medium (5-15%) range in 2024, roughly 200 kilo tons. This span delivers six-log microbial kill while staying below thresholds that demand explosion-proof storage, giving users the best cost-to-compliance ratio. Demand stems from beverage fillers, cheese wheels, and spray chillers in poultry plants where operators sanitize every shift. The medium segment is set for a 6.02% CAGR through 2030 as new entrants in Southeast Asia choose mid-strength packages that match imported equipment specs. Low ranges under 5% serve ready-to-use niche packs for restaurant chains and medical surface wipes. High ranges above 15% feed bulk sterilizers for flexible endoscope reprocessing and pharmaceutical clean rooms but face handling premiums that limit broad uptake.

Formulators are engineering medium-grade blends with anti-corrosive additives, allowing contact with aluminum conveyors and dosing pumps. This compatibility saves clients from costly stainless upgrades. In parallel, cloud-connected meters log concentration data for audit trails, easing FDA and EU hygiene record mandates. These enhancements raise switching costs and foster supplier lock-in. Although feedstock volatility can squeeze margins, producers hedge with dual acetic acid sourcing and forward contracts. Competitive price visibility keeps medium-grade spreads within sustainable bands, preserving its anchor position in coming years.

The Peracetic Acid Market Report Segments the Industry by Product Form (Liquid Solutions, Powder/Granules, and Aqueous Blends), Concentration Grade (Less Than 5 % PAA (Low), and More), Application (Disinfectant, Oxidizer, and More), End-User Industry (Food and Beverage, Water Treatment, Pulp and Paper, Chemical, and More), and Geography (Asia-Pacific, North America, Europe, South America, and Middle-East and Africa).

Geography Analysis

Asia-Pacific generated 38.24% of global revenue in 2024, led by China, India, and Thailand. Rising disposable incomes spur packaged food demand, while stringent rules such as China’s GB 31604.1 food-contact material standard are nudging processors toward chlorine alternatives. Japan’s sole producer leverages chlorine-free technology that appeals to high-purity electronics and pharmaceutical clients. Government investments in smart water grids also pull peracetic acid into tertiary disinfection stages. The region’s forecast 6.75% CAGR is further backed by hospital construction in India and Indonesia, where low-temperature sterilizers suit power-constrained facilities.

North America remains a mature but sizable market. The 2024 PFAS rule and the EPA’s steam sterilization emission proposals are pushing utilities and hospitals to consider peracetic acid for compliance. Meat and poultry exports rely on USDA-approved sanitizers, and large processors often pair the chemistry with automated spray cabinets. Innovation clusters in the United States Midwest house multiple formulation specialists that supply dry or buffered grades. Adoption in municipal reuse schemes like California’s Pure Water San Diego project boosts baseline demand. Overall regional growth runs near the global average thanks to retrofit activity and product diversification.

Europe demonstrates stable expansion anchored by sustainability mandates. Scandinavian pulp mills deploy peracetic acid bleaching to secure eco-label status, and breweries in Germany and Belgium integrate low foaming blends for line cleaning. The EU Employment Safety Directive caps operator exposure, encouraging closed-feed systems. Emerging Eastern European members are upgrading municipal treatment works with support from cohesion funds, inserting peracetic acid into secondary disinfection. Although volume gains are moderate at present, tight carbon and chlorine discharge limits provide a long runway for additional uptake through 2030.

List of Companies Covered in this Report:

1. ACURO ORGANICS LIMITED
2. Aditya Birla Chemicals
3. Airedale Group
4. Biosan
5. Brainerd Chemical
6. Christeyns
7. Diversey, Inc
8. Ecolab
9. Enviro Tech Chemical Services, Inc.
10. Evonik Industries AG
11. Hydrite Chemical
12. Jubilant Pharmova Limited
13. Kemira
14. MITSUBISHI GAS CHEMICAL COMPANY, INC.
15. Solvay
16. STOCKMEIER Group

Additional Benefits:

• The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format
• 3 months of analyst support