Method for degassing polymer melts and for neutralising the pollutants formed thereby, comprising the following method steps: - a low pressure or a vacuum is generated by means of a vacuum system, - the low pressure or vacuum is fed to a degassing zone in which the polymer melt is situated, - the pollutants in the form of waste gases or waste gases and liquid and/or solid components removed or withdrawn from the degassing zone (VD; VD1, VD2) by the vacuum system are separated in a downstream filtering stage and/or a separator (4; 4.1, 4.2), - after being removed from the degassing zone (VD; VD1, VD2), the pollutants are fed to a plasma source (2; 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4) which is so constructed and/or designed that the pollutants are converted wholly or in part into a plasma state of aggregation in the plasma source (2; 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4), - after being removed from the degassing zone (VD; VD1, VD2), the pollutants are fed to the plasma source (2; 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4) before being fed to a filter or to a separator (4; 4.1, 4.2), - process gases including external air, water vapour, and/or carbon dioxide are fed to the pollutants, characterised by the following further features: - the pollutants removed from the degassing zone (VD; VD1, VD2) and fed to the plasma source (2; 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4) are conveyed via a pipeline system which is heated to at least 150°C in order to avoid deposits, - individual or a plurality of plasma sources (2; 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4) which can be connected in or shut off via switch valves (A.1, A.2, B.1, B.2, C.1, C.2, D.1, D.2, E.1, E.2, F.1, F.2) provided in degassing lines (11, 11a, 11b, 12, 12a, 12b, 13) are used,and - the switch valves (A.1, A.2, B.1, B.2, C.1, C.2, D.1, D.2, E.1, E.2, F.1, F.2) are connected upstream and downstream of the plasma sources (2; 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4) in the form of parallel switch valves (A.1, A.2, B.1, B.2, C.1, C.2, D.1, D.2, E.1, E.2, F.1, F.2) with different flow cross sections. - a low pressure or a vacuum is generated by means of a vacuum system, - the low pressure or vacuum is fed to a degassing zone in which the polymer melt is situated, - the pollutants in the form of waste gases or waste gases and liquid and/or solid components removed or withdrawn from the degassing zone (VD; VD1, VD2) by the vacuum system are separated in a downstream filtering stage and/or a separator (4; 4.1, 4.2), - after being removed from the degassing zone (VD; VD1, VD2), the pollutants are fed to a plasma source (2; 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4) which is so constructed and/or designed that the pollutants are converted wholly or in part into a plasma state of aggregation in the plasma source (2; 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4), - after being removed from the degassing zone (VD; VD1, VD2), the pollutants are fed to the plasma source (2; 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4) before being fed to a filter or to a separator (4; 4.1, 4.2), - process gases including external air, water vapour, and/or carbon dioxide are fed to the pollutants, - the pollutants removed from the degassing zone (VD; VD1, VD2) and fed to the plasma source (2; 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4) are conveyed via a pipeline system which is heated to at least 150°C in order to avoid deposits, - individual or a plurality of plasma sources (2; 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4) which can be connected in or shut off via switch valves (A.1, A.2, B.1, B.2, C.1, C.2, D.1, D.2, E.1, E.2, F.1, F.2) provided in degassing lines (11, 11a, 11b, 12, 12a, 12b, 13) are used,and - the switch valves (A.1, A.2, B.1, B.2, C.1, C.2, D.1, D.2, E.1, E.2, F.1, F.2) are connected upstream and downstream of the plasma sources (2; 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4) in the form of parallel switch valves (A.1, A.2, B.1, B.2, C.1, C.2, D.1, D.2, E.1, E.2, F.1, F.2) with different flow cross sections.