The chemical industry is continuously looking for better ways to make, use and reuse materials, to help keep them out of the environment and retain their value for as long as possible in support of a sustainable future. For instance, Dow is committed to fostering a circular economy for polyurethanes through collaborative innovation.
Through depolymerization recycling of Polyurethane (PU), the company can convert waste streams into new raw materials, turning PU back into building blocks for new products.
Dow and its partner company Orrion Chemicals Orgaform operate the world’s first recycling facility at industrial scale for end-of-life mattresses in France. With the Mattress Recycling program, Dow can turn end-of-life mattress foam back into raw material and convert them into recovered raw material with up to 50% recycled content and 54% CO2 emissions reduction compared compared to fossil-based equivalent product*. This recycled polyol is then used as a high value material and can enable up to 30% replacement in new polyurethane foam formulations.
Depolymerization recycling for polyurethanes is a proven closed-loop recycling technology for end-of-life polyurethane waste at scale; it enables PU circularity and helps advance innovation in different technologies, applications, and waste types.
*LCA specific to RENUVA™ model and process as implemented at Semoy, France. LCA is framed by ISO standards 14040 and 14044 and verified by third party Quantis.