Chemical recycling (CR) is attracting an increasing attention as solutions to deal with certain types of waste plastics are sought in Europe and beyond. While CR could represent an interesting solution to address plastic waste streams that are not currently recycled, and complement the well-established mechanical recycling industry for tackling issues surrounding the end-of-life disposal of plastics, it is important to raise awareness on the diversity of technologies covered by the term “chemical recycling”, and the limits of those technologies with regards to the objectives of circular economy.