The approach uses lower temperatures and sustainable solvents, boosting environmental performance and industrial scalability.

A new chemical recycling method for PMMA acrylics replaces chlorinated solvents with greener solvents and uses UV light under oxygen-free conditions to break down PMMA, achieving monomer recovery yields above 70% and overall conversion above 95%, enabling repolymerisation into near-pristine materials.

The Bath approach contrasts with ETH Zurich’s UV-activated chlorinated-solvent depolymerisation, highlighting a greener solvent pathway that reduces energy use and environmental impact.

Related Bath plastic recycling research is linked for readers seeking broader context.

Experts emphasize cleaner, energy-efficient pathways and closing the loop for polymers through high-purity monomer recovery.

This breakthrough aims to eliminate downcycling by reclaiming high-purity monomers, reducing fossil-based feedstock reliance and advancing sustainable management of acrylic plastics.

Nature Communications published the work on January 28, 2026, led by Bath researchers, reporting UV-driven depolymerisation at 120–180°C under oxygen-free conditions to yield monomers with minimal material loss.

By addressing energy intensity and quality deterioration seen in mechanical recycling and pyrolysis, this method offers a potential route to true circularity for acrylic materials.

Laboratory-scale demonstrations focus on scaling up, process intensification, solvent recovery, and integration with existing recycling infrastructure.

Compared with traditional mechanical recycling, which degrades quality, the Bath method aims to recover pristine monomers for high-quality, glass-like applications such as screens and spectacles.

Current demonstrations are on small scales (grams of real plastic waste), with ongoing work to improve efficiency and scale up the technology.

The method is compatible with more sustainable solvents, improving environmental performance and industrial viability, though currently recycling only a few grams per batch and scaling is in progress.