a process for recovering suitable polyester feedstock material from recycled polyester includes the steps of depolymerizing the polyester into its component ester monomers and half - esters ; separating the monomers and half - esters from other secondary materials ; and mixing the component ester monomers and half - esters with additional monomers to produce a low molecular weight polyester . in a preferred embodiment of the invention the recycled polyester is contacted with a component monomer or oligomer thereof to liquefy the polyester before the polyester is depolymerized . the invention further provides an apparatus for carrying out the process . the apparatus includes a first reactor for depolymerizing the recycled polyester , a separator for separating ester monomeric components and half - esters from secondary materials produced in the first reactor , and a second reactor for producing a low molecular weight polyester from the liquefied separator products .