The article discusses the importance of plastics in society and the environmental risks posed by their linear production and disposal. Recycling, particularly chemical depolymerization, is essential for transitioning to a circular economy. Chemical depolymerization can produce high-quality recycled plastics, especially for complex waste streams not well-suited for mechanical recycling. However, it exists within a complex system of end-of-life fates, with each approach complementing others for environmental, economic, and societal sustainability. The review explores recent progress in depolymerizing five commercial polymers: poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), polycarbonates, polyamides, aliphatic polyesters, and polyurethanes. It also discusses novel polymers designed for chemical depolymerization. Mechanical recycling is the dominant method, but it has limitations, such as not working well with thermoset polymers and being sensitive to contaminants. Chemical recycling, including thermochemical and depolymerization methods, is gaining interest. Thermochemical recycling is non-selective and produces a mix of monomers, while depolymerization selectively converts polymers into monomers or targeted chemicals. Chemical recycling is limited in commercial deployment, with only 2.5 million tonnes of capacity installed as of 2021. Improving energy efficiency, economics, and selectivity is a focus for research to promote wider adoption. Depolymerization research focuses on polyesters, polyamides, polyurethanes, and polycarbonates, which have specific chemical structures that facilitate depolymerization. Different end-of-life fates can apply to the same plastic waste, requiring systemic approaches to prioritize depolymerization strategies. The review also discusses the integration of depolymerization with current plastic systems and the importance of considering how depolymerization will integrate with current and future waste systems to reduce commercial risks. The review highlights the potential of depolymerization for creating a circular economy, including upcycling strategies where alternative products are formed. It also discusses the environmental and economic benefits of depolymerization compared to other recycling methods, such as mechanical recycling. The review concludes that depolymerization could become an important technology for recycling PET, polycarbonates, and other polyesters, particularly with improvements in process yields, pretreatment requirements, and enzyme tolerance for high substrate-loading and crystallinity.The article discusses the importance of plastics in society and the environmental risks posed by their linear production and disposal. Recycling, particularly chemical depolymerization, is essential for transitioning to a circular economy. Chemical depolymerization can produce high-quality recycled plastics, especially for complex waste streams not well-suited for mechanical recycling. However, it exists within a complex system of end-of-life fates, with each approach complementing others for environmental, economic, and societal sustainability. The review explores recent progress in depolymerizing five commercial polymers: poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), polycarbonates, polyamides, aliphatic polyesters, and polyurethanes. It also discusses novel polymers designed for chemical depolymerization. Mechanical recycling is the dominant method, but it has limitations, such as not working well with thermoset polymers and being sensitive to contaminants. Chemical recycling, including thermochemical and depolymerization methods, is gaining interest. Thermochemical recycling is non-selective and produces a mix of monomers, while depolymerization selectively converts polymers into monomers or targeted chemicals. Chemical recycling is limited in commercial deployment, with only 2.5 million tonnes of capacity installed as of 2021. Improving energy efficiency, economics, and selectivity is a focus for research to promote wider adoption. Depolymerization research focuses on polyesters, polyamides, polyurethanes, and polycarbonates, which have specific chemical structures that facilitate depolymerization. Different end-of-life fates can apply to the same plastic waste, requiring systemic approaches to prioritize depolymerization strategies. The review also discusses the integration of depolymerization with current plastic systems and the importance of considering how depolymerization will integrate with current and future waste systems to reduce commercial risks. The review highlights the potential of depolymerization for creating a circular economy, including upcycling strategies where alternative products are formed. It also discusses the environmental and economic benefits of depolymerization compared to other recycling methods, such as mechanical recycling. The review concludes that depolymerization could become an important technology for recycling PET, polycarbonates, and other polyesters, particularly with improvements in process yields, pretreatment requirements, and enzyme tolerance for high substrate-loading and crystallinity.