Polyurethanes Recycling and Waste Management

Almost everybody in the urethanes industry is by now familiar with the different options for the recycling of urethane-based materials. Physical recycling (fillers in the polyol), chemical recycling (glycolysis, hydrolysis) and energy recovery are the main options under development. The actual process, however, is only a part of the equation. Disassembly, logistics, applications for recycled materials and market size are other vital elements for success. In this paper, progress is presented on the different recycling options, in conjunction with a cost model which has been developed especially for the purpose.