Companies of all industries and sizes are working to reduce their carbon footprint, e.g. through recycling. This is because recycling reduces waste volumes and relieves the burden on the environment. It also enables sustainable products that can drive the decarbonization of numerous industries.

As part of its Track 2030 sustainability strategy, Röhm is pursuing ambitious goals that are geared towards long-term success through innovation and environmental awareness. The focus is not only on improving production processes, but also on a commitment to more environmentally friendly products and solutions. The aim is to increase recycling rates, minimize the carbon footprint and improve resource efficiency. These goals are incorporated into the entire product portfolio and the services offered. The use of circular or bio-based raw materials is a key lever for reducing emissions by 30% by 2030 compared to 2020. All production sites in Germany and China that manufacture the monomer methyl methacrylate (MMA) or PMMA are certified in accordance with the ISCC-PLUS standard for the use of sustainable raw materials.

„It is crucial to implement these design adaptations promptly to lay the foundation for a more sustainable circular economy.“

Sustainable Properties of PMMA

The PMMA brand Plexiglas is particularly valued for its versatility and outstanding optical properties while already offering many sustainable characteristics: it is highly recyclable, long-lasting, and features excellent weather resistance. These qualities make PMMA a preferred choice in industries that demand top-tier optics, functionality, and aesthetics combined with durability.

Challenges in Mechanical Recycling of PMMA

It is therefore not surprising that PMMA is often used in applications where optical quality and surface gloss are crucial. Until now, recycled content has often been excluded from such applications due to concerns that aesthetic quality might suffer from the mixing of different plastics during recycling. However, new regulatory requirements and upcoming changes, such as the "End-of-Life Vehicles Directive" (ELV) or the "Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive" (CSRD), necessitate a shift in thinking. Consequently, demand is increasing for products with higher recycled content and a significantly reduced carbon footprint.

Circular Economy and Recycling Rates in the PMMA Sector

The challenges of plastic recycling are evident in the automotive industry: of the total 150 to 200 kg of plastic per vehicle, only 2 to 4 kg is PMMA on average. This has historically resulted in minimal economic incentive to specifically isolate the material from waste streams. Even when post-consumer PMMA waste – plastic products discarded by end users – is carefully collected, there is a potential risk of cross-contamination. Such mixing with other plastics or foreign substances – such as polycarbonate – can significantly affect the optical quality of the recycled material.

Pilot Projects and Sustainable Design Approaches

Despite these challenges, Röhm has launched several pilot projects in collaboration with partners along the value chain as part of its sustainability commitment. These initiatives included mechanically recycled post-consumer waste from the automotive industry, such as taillights. The results show that even after 20 years of use, the material can be reintroduced into the circular economy. However, the cleaning and sorting process is relatively labor-intensive.

A key takeaway: Smart and sustainable design of end products – such as taillights – could significantly improve material recovery rates in the future. Design changes that facilitate separation of recycled material, such as the use of mono-material systems and avoiding multilayer structures, can enhance recycling efficiency. However, such measures to increase recycling rates take about 15 years to have their full effect, as the material has a long service life. Therefore, it is crucial to implement these design adaptations promptly to lay the foundation for a more sustainable circular economy.

„A significant increase in recycling rates at the end of a product’s lifecycle can be achieved through an intelligent combination of mechanical and chemical recycling.“

Chemical Recycling and Mass Balance as an Opportunity

A promising solution for immediately increasing PMMA recycling rates is chemical recycling combined with mass balance. In this process, the material is broken down into its chemical building blocks, which, thanks to newly developed technologies, can be separated from contaminants and reused. The final product achieves the quality of virgin material, making it suitable for high-end applications once again. This approach enables more efficient PMMA recycling while maintaining the quality of the end product.

Utilizing Post-Consumer Waste as a Raw Material

Market studies estimate that the annual PMMA consumption in Europe is around 400 kt, with the proportion of material being recycled currently below 10%. Given the limited availability of post-industrial PMMA waste, a market for recycled raw materials can only be expanded if post-consumer sources are also integrated. So far, the development of a functioning circular economy has been hindered by the lack of logistics and sorting infrastructure, as well as partners willing to actively participate in closing the loop.

Companies Pekutherm, Nextchem (MyRemono), and Röhm have taken on this challenge and formed a pan-European alliance for PMMA recycling. The concept works as follows: PMMA is first collected from customers, consumers, and recycling centers. Then, using newly developed technologies, it is processed into PMMA and MMA of virgin quality, which can be used to produce new plastics – thus closing the loop.

„Smart and sustainable design of end products – such as taillights – could significantly improve material recovery rates in the future.”

 

PMMA is known for its long lifespan, during which it does not suffer from weather-related aging. However, attached contaminants can complicate later mechanical recycling. In such cases, PMMA can be broken down into its chemical precursor MMA with low energy consumption and high yield using the innovative NXRe technology from MyRemono, a network partner. This monomer can then be purified using a process developed by Röhm and reprocessed into PMMA of virgin quality.

Joint Effort for a PMMA Circular Economy

Through their collaboration, the alliance focuses on four key strengths:

1. Efficiency: In a multi-stage collection and sorting system developed by network partner Pekutherm – suitable even for small businesses – the best recycling technology for each material is selected. Certified specialists in Europe assess whether the materials are suitable for mechanical recycling.
2. Simplicity: Participating companies benefit from an easy-to-use system with collection boxes and logistics included. For recycling companies, the sorted collection of PMMA becomes economically attractive.
3. Flexibility: The applied processing methods are highly adaptable – even contaminated or mixed PMMA waste can be recycled into virgin-quality products thanks to innovative technologies.
4. Customer Choice: Clients can decide how they gradually advance their own decarbonization efforts and reliably source sustainable PMMA products. The alliance's stated goal is growth: all processors, customers, and consumers of PMMA in Europe are invited to join the network.

A significant increase in recycling rates at the end of a product’s lifecycle can be achieved through an intelligent combination of mechanical and chemical recycling. Success hinges on close collaboration along the value chain and the willingness to rethink established processes. This includes developing products designed for recyclability (Design for Recycling) and systematically collecting and reintegrating post-consumer waste. The recycling network partners have laid the foundation for this transition.