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Covestro has
developed an innovative process for the chemical recycling of
polyurethane (PU) flexible foam from used mattresses. It builds on
its participation in the PUReSmart project, which is coordinated by
Recticel company.
Each
mattress contains on average 15-20 kilograms of foam. The Covestro
process is novel compared to other chemical recycling approaches,
since it enables the recovery of both main PU components. In addition
to the polyol, the primary product of the other component formed
during recyling – the isocyanate – can now also be generated.
Since
recently, Covestro has also been operating a pilot plant for flexible
foam recycling, in order to verify the positive laboratory results
achieved to date. With this project on the chemical recycling of PU
mattress foam, the company has made significant progress toward the
goal of a recycling loop.
"The
project is part of a long-term strategic program to fully align Covestro
with the circular economy and be a driving force in value
creation," says Dr. Klaus Schäfer, Covestro's Chief Technology
Officer.
"The development of this innovative recycling
technology and the investment in the pilot plant are further
milestones to close material loops. In this way, we aim to replace
fossil resources in production, reduce the carbon footprint of our
materials and create solutions for dealing with plastic waste. At the
same time, we succeed in proving that polyurethanes are recyclable."
Next-level
foam recycling
"Our
goal is to industrialize chemical recycling processes for
post-consumer flexible foams in order to ultimately commercialize
both raw materials derived from the recycling of mattress foam,"
explains Karin Clauberg, Venture Manager Flexible Foam Chemolysis at
Covestro.
"With our innovative technology we aim to deliver a
high purity, high quality recycled polyol that fulfills customer
specifications, and a recycled toluene diamine, or TDA, which is
suitable for further processing to toluene diisocyanate. This
isocyanate, or TDI for short, is used together with the polyol for
the production of flexible foams."
Furthermore,
in collaboration with the companies Recticel and Redwave – a division
of Wolfgang Binder GmbH – and as part of the PUReSmart research
project, Covestro has developed an intelligent sorting solution to
efficiently separate the different PU foams from post-consumer
mattresses.
The software uses machine-learning algorithms for a
proper recognition of the different types of foam, enabling clean
material inputs for the subsequent recycling process. This
development is a further component of the digitalization strategy
with the associated new opportunities for the entire chemical and
plastic value chain.
Co-shaping
a circular eco-system
Covestro
uses international collaborations for joint solutions and innovative
business models to help shape the future value cycle for flexible
polyurethane foams with its recycling technology. To this end,
Covestro is focusing on intensified cooperation with partners along
the value chain.
Among
other things, the aim is to create new business opportunities for
Covestro, but also for its customers and partners along the entire
value chain; they can also reduce their own CO2 footprint.
Increased use of post-consumer waste also helps solve the societal
challenge of sustainable management of such waste and contributes to
achieving the European Union's circular economy, climate and
environmental protection goals.
New
pilot plant setting the stage for process industrialization
The
new pilot plant that Covestro has now commissioned is designed to
expand recycling into an efficient industrial process. The aim is to
validate laboratory results, optimize the process and develop
products and applications on a small industrial scale. This is an
important step in taking the development of the circular economy at
Covestro to a new level.
The
first phase is to focus on process development for polyol recycling,
followed by the recovery of TDA as a precursor to TDI, scheduled to
start this summer.
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