Sustainable Plastics - October 2021 - 25

Q&A
converted into polyols. These
polyols are delivered to us
to make sure that whatever
comes out of the recycling
process is actually fit for the
application and compliant to
regulations.
Finally, we also have another
local partner, who will
use the RENUVA polyols- The
Vita Group. They will be producing
flexible foam based on
the polyols recovered from the
foam waste.
In the end, what's really nice
is that at least part of that flexible
foam will be used to make
new mattresses.
What do you do with the other
parts of the mattress?
That's the nice thing about
Eco-mobilier: because they
are the ones that collect and
recover the mattresses, they
are responsible for the rest of
what we don't take. Also, I believe
there are other routes for
various other parts currently
in place; for example, the
mattress springs are already
being recycled. Eco-mobilier
has so many projects and
the company look for markets
for every single material they
recover. That's how RENUVA
came into play.
The important thing for us
was that we could create a
market for the polyurethane
foam - something they didn't
have yet. The polyurethane
foam was the biggest troublemaker,
so they are relieved to
have found a solution!
You mentioned the recycling
plant that Orrion Chemicals
Orgaform are operating on
your behalf. Is that a chemical
recycling plant?
Yes, it's chemical recycling
and again, H&S Anlagentechnik
has provided the
process know-how. Actually,
to be more precise what we
are doing is solvolysis, so a
combination of glycolysis and
acidolysis. In other words, we
don't go all the way back to
feedstock, as would be the
case if we were doing waste
plastic pyrolysis, where it gets
so hot that the plastics are
broken back down into feedstock;
but we are going back
to the raw materials - so in our
case, polyols.
October 2021
25
You referred to this as a pilot.
Is this something Dow plans
to replicate elsewhere as
well?
Absolutely! This is really just
the beginning, and it is intended
to prove that it can be done.
The polyurethane foam industry
has felt a lot of pressure,
leading some brand owners
even to say that they would no
longer be using polyurethanes
because they can't be recycled.
Well, so that's not actually
true.
We inaugurated our plant
on 22 September and are now
showing that even polyurethane
mattresses can be recycled.
But, as I said before, we
first made sure to set up the
right infrastructure to enable
these to be recycled and the
materials reused after being recovered.
So,
yes, this is the beginning
and, as the technology is complex,
we are learning from this
experience before trying this
elsewhere. But as of today, we
believe that we are demonstrating
that any type of foam polyurethane
from a mattress can
be recycled.
And developing new projects
elsewhere, in other countries,
will involve using diff erent
waste. We'll need to start over,
dealing with new players, building
those relationships and
ecosystem. And getting people
to understand what is needed.
After all, this is the first time
we've formulated a specification
for waste; so, it takes time
and a lot of learning from all the
companies involved. We are still
continued on page 26
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Sustainable Plastics - October 2021

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