Trinseo Opens Next-Gen Depolymerization Facility in Italy
Trinseo , a specialty material solutions provider , announced today the opening of its polymethyl methacrylate ( PMMA ) depolymerization facility in Rho , Italy , on June 25 . The pilot facility represents a significant step forward in the Company ’ s commitment to sustainability , as the next-generation recycling technology helps advance a circular infrastructure for acrylic solutions and is aligned with Trinseo ’ s 2030 Sustainable Product Portfolio Goals . “ We are thrilled about the opening of our depolymerization facility , which will help advance our goal to support a circular economy ,” said Francesca Reverberi , Senior Vice President of Engineered Materials and Chief Sustainability Officer at Trinseo . “ Our company remains committed to our sustainability goals , including investing in new recycling technologies that can support our customers in reaching their sustainability goals as well .” Depolymerization is a chemical recycling process that returns acrylic solutions to the constituent monomer , methyl methacrylate ( MMA ). Complementary to other recycling technologies , depolymerization helps close the loop for acrylic recycling with several advantages over traditional processes . By utilizing this technology , acrylic solutions can be recycled — including PMMA sheets , which previously could not be mechanically recycled . Additionally , returning the material to its monomer form allows additives and contaminants to be removed from pre- and post-consumer acrylic products . This enables more PMMA to be recycled . Trinseo ’ s PMMA depolymerization facility delivers a next-generation technology , utilizing an advanced continuous process to produce high-purity regenerated MMA from pre- and post-consumer acrylic solutions . Trinseo ’ s depolymerization technology leverages findings from the MMAtwo Consortium , a collaborative initiative funded by the European Union ’ s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program , to develop a new value chain for pre- and post-consumer PMMA and a versatile recycling process for converting this waste into high-quality regenerated monomer with carbon footprint reduction versus virgin MMA . “ Today is a critical milestone in our sustainability journey ,” said Han Hendriks , Chief Technology Officer at Trinseo . “ Depolymerization expands our recycled feedstock capabilities , which in turn , will help us innovate new solutions . With this new capability , we can build a more robust recycled acrylics portfolio to better meet the evolving needs of our customers .” The recycled MMA ( rMMA ) generated by Trinseo ’ s depolymerization facility is utilized in the Company ’ s Altuglas™ and Plexiglas ® R-Life product portfolios . Through this new facility , Trinseo can produce rMMA that is comparable to virgin raw materials . This enables use in high-demand applications , such as vehicle taillights or caravan windows that require high optical quality .
Community event celebrating the opening of the new PMMA depolymerization pilot facility in Rho , Italy . ( Photo : Business Wire )
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