for the depolymerization are conventional oxidizing agents they generally comprise agents which easily liberate oxygen in atomic form a single oxidizing agent or a mixture of oxidizing agents can be used hydrogen hypochlorite or sodium hypochlorite and hydrogen peroxide are the oxidizing agents which are generally used the preferred oxidizing agent is hydrogen peroxide the oxidizing agent can be present in the oxidizing medium in any amount generally an amount is employed which is such that the oxidizing agent is completely consumed at the end of the depolymerization operation concentrations of 0 01 to 30 of the weight of the solution are very suitable the aqueous solutions of the starting polymers are preferably of a basic nature this means that the ph of the solutions is preferably greater than 7 when aqueous solutions are used the reaction is most frequently carried out at ph values of between 8 and 12 depending on the concentration the depolymerization according to the present invention can be carried out for example at between 10 u00b0 c and the boiling point of the reaction medium at the reaction pressure the reaction is generally carried out at between 30 u00b0 c and 120 u00b0 c the reaction is preferably carried out at the boiling point of the reaction medium the.