Process for the continuous degradation of plastics

Claim 1

A process for the continuous hydrolytic degradation of waste plastics comprising a. continuously introducing a hydrolyzable plastic waste material into a screw machine, b. continuously allowing air to escape from said screw machine, c. continuously introducing water into said screw machine, thereby producing a plastic-water mixture, d. subjecting said mixture to a temperature of from 100° to 300° C, a pressure from 5 to 100 bars, and intensive screw mixing in a reaction zone of said screw machine for a period of from 2 to 100 minutes whereby liquid and gaseous hydrolysis products are formed, e. continuously allowing the liquid and gaseous hydrolysis products to enter a liquid-gas separatory nozzle, f. continuously allowing the liquid to leave the nozzle through a first regulating valve which maintains a constant liquid level in the nozzle, and g. continuously allowing the gas to leave the nozzle through a second regulatory valve which maintains a constant pressure in the nozzle at a pressure of the reaction zone.