A melt processing plant including a melt charger for charging a processing head, in particular a pelletizing head, with melt, is provided. Upstream of the processing head a diverter valve for discharging the melt during a starting and/or retooling phase is associated with the melt charger, and a portioning device for portioning the discharged melt into melt portions is associated to the diverter valve. A cooling device for cooling the melt portions to at least partly solidified chunks of material is also provided, the cooling device including a cooling bath having an associated belt conveyor with a first collecting belt portion inclined at an acute angle to the horizontal and extending through the level of the cooling bath for collecting chunks of solidified material.