This review discusses light-driven chemical recycling and upcycling of plastic waste, focusing on energy efficiency and selective transformations not achievable with heat-driven methods. Only 14% of global plastic waste is recycled, with most being mechanically recycled into lower quality materials. Chemical recycling, though more effective for producing pristine materials, is energy-intensive, especially for processes like pyrolysis. Light-driven approaches, such as photocatalysis, offer a promising alternative with reduced energy consumption and selective transformations. The review highlights the challenges of recycling polymers with C–C backbones, which lack functional groups like esters or amides that facilitate chemical recycling. Light can be used in conjunction with heat to drive depolymerization to monomers or via photocatalysis to transform polymers into valuable small molecules. The structural prerequisites for these approaches are outlined, along with their advantages and limitations. The review discusses various light-driven methods for depolymerization and upcycling, including thermal depolymerization, controlled photothermal depolymerization using RAFT or ATRP methods, and photocatalytic degradation to small molecules. Proton coupled electron transfer (PCET), ligand to metal charge transfer (LMCT), hydrogen atom transfer (HAT), and side chain induced backbone scission are discussed as mechanisms for photocatalytic degradation. Examples of successful light-driven recycling include the depolymerization of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) using carbon quantum dots, the degradation of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) using simulated sunlight and carbon nanotubes, and the conversion of epoxy phenolic resins into bisphenol A precursors. The review also discusses the potential of light-driven approaches for upcycling lignin and other natural polymers into valuable small molecules. The review concludes that light-driven chemical recycling offers a sustainable alternative to traditional methods, with the potential to reduce energy consumption and produce valuable small molecules. However, challenges remain in achieving selective transformations and scaling up these processes for industrial applications. The review provides guidelines for future photocatalyst development and highlights the importance of understanding the mechanisms of fragmentation pathways to increase selectivity.This review discusses light-driven chemical recycling and upcycling of plastic waste, focusing on energy efficiency and selective transformations not achievable with heat-driven methods. Only 14% of global plastic waste is recycled, with most being mechanically recycled into lower quality materials. Chemical recycling, though more effective for producing pristine materials, is energy-intensive, especially for processes like pyrolysis. Light-driven approaches, such as photocatalysis, offer a promising alternative with reduced energy consumption and selective transformations. The review highlights the challenges of recycling polymers with C–C backbones, which lack functional groups like esters or amides that facilitate chemical recycling. Light can be used in conjunction with heat to drive depolymerization to monomers or via photocatalysis to transform polymers into valuable small molecules. The structural prerequisites for these approaches are outlined, along with their advantages and limitations. The review discusses various light-driven methods for depolymerization and upcycling, including thermal depolymerization, controlled photothermal depolymerization using RAFT or ATRP methods, and photocatalytic degradation to small molecules. Proton coupled electron transfer (PCET), ligand to metal charge transfer (LMCT), hydrogen atom transfer (HAT), and side chain induced backbone scission are discussed as mechanisms for photocatalytic degradation. Examples of successful light-driven recycling include the depolymerization of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) using carbon quantum dots, the degradation of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) using simulated sunlight and carbon nanotubes, and the conversion of epoxy phenolic resins into bisphenol A precursors. The review also discusses the potential of light-driven approaches for upcycling lignin and other natural polymers into valuable small molecules. The review concludes that light-driven chemical recycling offers a sustainable alternative to traditional methods, with the potential to reduce energy consumption and produce valuable small molecules. However, challenges remain in achieving selective transformations and scaling up these processes for industrial applications. The review provides guidelines for future photocatalyst development and highlights the importance of understanding the mechanisms of fragmentation pathways to increase selectivity.