# Acrylics (PMMA): Emissions

Why acrylic glass carries a heavy footprint

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pmma/emissions/

What this tab covers The greenhouse-gas footprint per tonne, split by lifecycle phase (feedstock, production, movement, use, end of life), the global total, other environmental impacts, levers and low-carbon routes, India's position, and where the investment opportunity lies. Emission intensity 4.50 t CO2e per t range 3.5-6.5 · indicative (basis: Plastics Europe PMMA eco-profiles of about 3.8-6 kg CO2e/kg; ACH route with acid regeneration at the high end) Global emissions per year 11.0 Mt CO2e per year 2024 · about 2.4 Mt x 4.5 t CO2e/t (derived, indicative)

Per t of PMMA (pellets or sheet), cradle-to-gate. Intensity: Plastics Europe eco-profiles (indicative). Global total: derived.

#### Share of footprint by lifecycle phase
 Feedstock 64% Production / process 33% Movement 2%

#### Footprint by lifecycle phase

| Phase | Intensity | Share | Main sources of emissions | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Feedstock** | about 2.9 t CO2e/t | 64% | acetone (cumene chain), HCN, methanol, isobutylene or ethylene | methanol from coal in China raises this | indicative |
| **Production / process** | about 1.5 t CO2e/t | 33% | sulphuric acid regeneration by combustion in ACH plants; polymerisation and casting heat | C4 and ethylene routes avoid acid regeneration | indicative |
| **Movement** | about 0.1 t CO2e/t | 2% | shipping MMA and resin | small | indicative |
| **Use** | not applicable | – | inert | long-lived in buildings and signs | n/a |
| **End of life** | about 2.2 t CO2 per t if incinerated (calculated from 60% carbon) | – | landfill, incineration or depolymerisation | depolymerisation recovers MMA at high yield (indicative) | calculated (indicative) |

#### Other environmental impacts

HCN toxicity risk; spent acid handling; VOC emissions of MMA during casting.

#### Levers to cut emissions

- Depolymerisation of PMMA scrap back to MMA (EU MMAtwo project; Trinseo and Mitsubishi Chemical recycling programmes; indicative).
- Shift from ACH to ethylene-based or C4 routes that avoid spent acid regeneration.
- Low-carbon methanol and renewable power.
- Bio-based acetone or isobutylene under mass balance (indicative).

#### India

India's PMMA footprint is mostly embedded in imports. There is no domestic MMA plant identified in sources reached, so a new plant would be the place to choose a non-ACH, low-carbon route.
 Emission figures are indicative global averages from the life-cycle studies named; actual footprints vary widely by site, energy mix and method.

#### Low-carbon routes

| Route | Intensity | Cost premium | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Chemically recycled MMA from PMMA scrap** | about 60-75% lower than virgin (indicative, project claims) | not published | pilot to small commercial scale in Europe and Japan (indicative) | indicative |
| **Ethylene-based LiMA MMA** | lower than ACH (company claim; not quantified in sources reached) | claimed lowest cost | Röhm Baytown 250 kt/yr since March 2025 | Chemical Week, May 2025 |

 For a climate investor PMMA is one of the few plastics that depolymerises cleanly to its monomer, so collection and depolymerisation of sign, lamp and sheet scrap is the main climate opportunity. Global MMA overcapacity makes new monomer plants hard to justify. What has to be true: steady clean scrap supply and buyers paying a premium for recycled-content acrylic.

## Other sections

- [Summary](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pmma/index.md)
- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pmma/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pmma/correlation/index.md)
- [Production route](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pmma/routes/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pmma/production/index.md)
- [Feedstocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pmma/feedstocks/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pmma/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pmma/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pmma/movement/index.md)
- [Regulation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pmma/regulation/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pmma/characteristics/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pmma/links/index.md)