In an initiative to scale the recycling of polyurethane foam in Japan, Evonik has established a partnership with Toyotsu Chemiplas Corporation and Sanyo Chemical Industries. The partners aim to convert discarded foam into recycled polyols and amines for use in new polyurethane products.
While polyurethane foam is widely used in applications such as mattresses, furniture and car seats, in most cases end-of-life material is disposed of in landfill or incinerated. Conventional recycling methods, such as crushing and re-moulding, have largely resulted in down-cycling for low-value applications, which falls short of achieving true raw material circularity for high-value uses, the partners say.
Sanyo Chemical, which is providing its expertise in polyol development and process technology, adds that chemical recycling of polyurethanes typically involves regenerating polyols through decomposition reactions. However, traditional approaches have faced significant challenges such as formation of by-products and residual non-decomposed components, which decrease the purity and quality of the recycled polyols. This means that the recycled material is often blended with virgin materials making it impossible to achieve the goal of 100% recycled raw materials. In addition, ensuring consistent quality and meeting Japan’s chemical regulations have also hindered practical implementation.
The project will see Sanyo Chemical combine its expertise with Evonik’s proprietary hydrolysis-based chemical recycling process which converts polyurethane back into polyols. The image above shows Evonik's pilot plant for polyurethane recycling in Hanau, Germany.
The high-purity polyols will then be used as recycled raw materials. “The ultimate goal is to produce high-purity, stable-quality recycled polyols while significantly reducing energy consumption,” Sanyo Chemical said.
The partners add that the initiative “goes beyond conventional downcycling, establishing an innovative recycling model that drives the realisation of a truly circular economy.”
The initiative will establish a comprehensive system for collecting discarded polyurethane foam ― both post-consumer recycled materials and post-industrial scraps generated during manufacturing.
The whole initiative is coordinated by Toyotsu Chemiplas which will leverage its collection network and logistics expertise, as well as designing the overall framework for the project. A comprehensive system for collecting discarded polyurethane foam, from both post-consumer and post-manufacturing will be established.
The partners said that they will collectively assess the entire value chain including “rigorous quality checks and further updating of the existing Life Cycle Assessment to confirm both the environmental and economic viability of the approach.”
“This collaboration with our Japanese partners represents an important step toward developing a practical recycling model for polyurethane foam in Japan. It also reflects Evonik’s ambition to scale polyurethane recycling by building strong partnerships across the value chain,” said Dr Martin Trocha, head of comfort & adhesives in Evonik’s business line Interface & Polyurethane Additives.
Further reading:
- World's first commercial BioBTX plant under construction
- Scientists produce sustainable polyurethane foam at room temperature
- Sustainable chemistry leads to biodegradable polyurethane
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