Röhm is breaking new ground in plastics recycling with an innovative, in-house technology now running on an industrial scale at its Worms site.
The process enables the chemical recycling and upgrading of methyl methacrylate (MMA) from polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), turning end-of-life plastic back into high-quality MMA through depolymerization.
PMMA, a versatile plastic used in vehicle taillights, medical devices, and countless other applications, is especially suited to efficient, high-yield recycling, achieving more than 90% recovery in depolymerization processes.
The new technology integrates seamlessly with existing MMA production in Worms, laying the foundation for a closed, scalable material cycle. Starting summer 2027, recycled MMA will feed into the production of Röhm’s sustainable proTerra products across its Verbund structure.
The Worms scale-up marks Röhm’s contribution to the European Recycling Alliance for PMMA, founded with partners in late 2024. The alliance aims to boost recycling rates of end-of-life PMMA across Europe and establish a fully closed material loop.
Alliance partners share responsibilities: Pekutherm collects and sorts roughly 5,000 tons of PMMA waste annually, MyRemono depolymerizes it into technical rMMA, and Röhm upgrades this rMMA into virgin-quality MMA.
“With rMMA, we are creating a real cycle in the PMMA value chain,” says Lukas Dössel, Director Circular Economy at Röhm. “This way, we can support our customers in meeting future legal requirements. This is a decisive step towards sustainable material flows in Europe and a reduced dependence on fossil raw materials.”
The investment is backed by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, which supports industrial initiatives to save energy, conserve resources, and cut emissions. “With this investment, we are taking responsibility for a mindful and circular use of plastics. We don't just want to be part of the change – we want to actively drive it forward,” Dössel adds.
