German methacrylates experts, Röhm, is using an in-house advanced recycling technology for the first time on an industrial scale at its Worms site. It permits the processing and upgrading of chemically recycled methyl methacrylate (MMA). The beginning material is poly- methyl methacrylate (PMMA), which becomes high-quality MMA once again through depolymerisation.
PMMA is a flexible plastic that can be found in automobile taillights, medical devices and several other programs. Because of it’s chemical structure, the material is specially appropriate for efficient, high-quality recycling processes, attaining more than 90% yield in depolymerisation techniques. The new technology can be easily incorporating into the present MMA manufacturing in Worms. With this investment, Röhm is generating the basis for a closed and scalable materials cycle. Beginning of summer 2027, the recycled MMA might be used for production sustainable proTerra products through- out Röhm’s Verbund structure.
The scale-up of the technology to industrial scale is Röhm’s contribution to the European Recycling Alliance for PMMA, which was based together with partners on the end of 2024. The goal of this network of corporations is to considerably increase the recycling rate of end-of-life PMMA throughout Europe and to establish a fully closed mate- rial cycle. The alliance partners take on numerous tasks – Pekutherm gather and sorts around 5,000 tons of PMMA waste across Europe each year. MyRemono processes these quantities into technical PMMA by means of depolymerization. At Röhm in Worms, this technical PMMA is in the end upgraded into MMA in virgin material quality.
Röhm’s investment is funded and guided by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. The investment programme supports commercial corporations in Germany to save energy, conserve resources and reduce emissions.
