Trinseo opens new PMMA depolymerization plant in Italy
Trinseo inaugurated its new polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) depolymerization plant in Rho, Italy. Scheduled to be commissioned in Q1 2024, the demonstration facility marks a pivotal step towards reshaping the plastics ecosystem as part of the circular economy.
The depolymerization plant enables efficient recycling of end-of-life PMMA, as well as other difficult to recycle structures, which will ultimately be used to produce acrylic resins, sheets, and compounds containing recycled materials.
Site of future demonstration PMMA depolymerization facility.
Depolymerization is a chemical recycling technology that reduces polymer back to its constituent monomers. This allows the recycling of wider variety of PMMA-based materials, supporting an increase in recycled content and overall recycling rates, and helping reduce the manufacturing demand for virgin materials.
“Our PMMA depolymerization plant will offer a high-performance solution for a world increasingly looking for new ways to address sustainability in the plastics supply chain,” commented Francesca Reverberi, Chief Sustainability Officer.
Material produced using the depolymerization process will be integrated as part of Trinseo's distinctive “R-Life” portfolio, covering both mechanically and chemically recycled PMMA grades.
These products find applications across mobility, construction, and consumer goods, aligning with the growing demand for products with sustainability commitment.
