May 24, 2026
matterr is featured in the February issue of CHEManager, where CEO Melanie Hackler discusses the role of chemical depolymerisation technology in enabling circularity for complex polyester waste streams.
©Philipp Herfort
In the interview, Melanie Hackler explains how matterr’s technology breaks down polyester selectively into its original building blocks, enabling the recovery of virgin-quality monomers from complex PET waste streams.
matterr focuses specifically on complex PET-containing waste streams that are difficult or impossible to recycle (thermo-) mechanically. These include textiles, complex packaging materials, and post-industrial waste from a variety of applications, material streams for which closed-loop recycling solutions are currently limited or non-existent.
A key challenge discussed in the interview, is the processing of highly heterogeneous input materials. PET waste streams often vary significantly in composition and quality and may contain unknown additives, contaminants and multilayer structures.
Yet unlike conventional recycling methods, the chemical depolymerisation process allows for impurities and contaminants to be removed, creating purified building blocks that can be reintroduced into existing value chains.
Developing a robust industrial process that consistently delivers industry-grade output from such materials is therefore a central aspect of matterr’s technology development.
The conversation also addresses one of the core challenges in the industry: scaling. Moving from proven technology to industrial execution requires not only engineering excellence, but the right regulatory and economic framework conditions.
With the planned small-scale industrial plant in Chemiepark Knapsack, matterr is taking the next step towards implementation with a clear ambition to establish polyester circularity at scale.
Read the full interview here:
