Trinseo’s Advanced Recycling Technologies Help Accelerate Circularity

Ben Porter, Trinseo

© Trinseo

These recycling technologies are facilitated by our recycler, Heathland B.V., and expand our access to post-industrial, post-consumer recycled plastic waste streams. This facility manages the mechanical recycling of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polycarbonate (PC), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and polystyrene (PS).
Additionally, our demonstration facility in Rho, Italy, returns polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) to its constituent monomer, achieving over 99% purity. This process is derived from our participation in the EU-funded MMAtwo Consortium and expands the types of acrylic applications that can be recycled. The resulting recycled methyl methacrylate is ISO14021 certified for 100% recycled content and can be used in the production of recycled-containing PMMA resins and sheets.
We also have a long-term offtake agreement with Indaver that secures 50% of their chemically recycled styrene production through proprietary depolymerization technology. This feedstock is used in styrenics, including ISCC PLUS–certified rPS resins via mass balance allocation, suitable for food contact (subject to EFSA approval).
Our PC pilot and ABS dissolution facilities in Terneuzen, Netherlands, use solvent-based extraction to recycle these polymers from mixed waste streams. This ABS dissolution process comes from participation in the EU-funded ABSolEU project.
Trinseo’s dissolution-based recycling technologies can reduce CO₂ emissions by up to 80% compared with virgin PC/ABS production, based on PEFCR-aligned cradle-to-gate studies.
Trinseo’s approach—combining partnerships, acquisitions and proprietary innovations—positions us as a leading contributor to driving the industry transformation toward a circular economy.