An apparatus for the preparation of thermoplastic plastics material to be recycled has two treatment stages (68, 68) [sic—recte (67, 68)] following one after the other. At least two receiving containers (1, 1′), which are capable of being evacuated and which are attached in parallel to a receiving container (2) of the second stage (68), are present in the first stage (67). A device (70) is present by which an alternating batch-wise charging of the receiving container (2) of the second stage takes place from the receiving containers (1, 1′) of the first stage. The said device (70) controls discharge members (75) of the receiving containers (1, 1′) of the preceding stage (67), which leads into a channel (3). A shut-off member (71) is provided for each receiving container (1, 1′) of the preceding stage (67) in the said channel. The device (70) for the alternating batch-wise charging of the receiving container (2) of the last stage controls the said shut-off members (71).The method of preparing thermoplastic plastics material, to be recycled, by means of an apparatus of this type provides that the receiving container (2) of the last stage is charged alternately and, as far as possible, continuously from the receiving containers (1, 1′) of the preceding stage (67).