Innovative solutions for recycling polyurethane

Orange couch made using polyols derived from polyurethane waste

Polynspire project

Polynspire is a project that aims to demonstrate that polyurethane waste, among other materials, can be used to obtain new polyols, which can be applied primarily in the production of mattresses and furniture. This can be achieved through chemical recycling in combination with two different technologies involving magnetic particles and microwaves to increase the performance of the chemical recycling processes.

Boosting the performance of chemical recycling processes

With Polynspire, we seek recycling alternatives for polyurethane, a material that currently has a very low rate of recovery, in order to decrease the amount of this material that ends up in landfills.

The project will last four years and includes the participation of another 21 European companies and organizations within the framework of the SPIRE H2020 project.

Through innovative and efficient solutions, we can recycle plastic materials, both from post-consumer origin, which have reached the end of their useful life, as well from post-industrial origin, which was produced during the transformation process from raw materials to final products. One way of doing this is to use chemical recycling along with two different technologies, magnetic particles and microwaves.

The project will address 100% of the streams that contain waste, ensuring the recycling of at least 50% of the total plastics containing polyurethane, which will reduce between 30% and 40% direct and indirect CO₂ emissions compared to the virgin polymer.

This project is based on three innovative pillars

Chemical recycling

To recover the most valuable materials like carbon and glass fibers.

Plastic waste recovery

As a source of carbon in the steel industry.

Advanced additives

For mechanical recycling processes to increase the quality of recycled plastics.

The benefits of Polynspire in figures

32% reduction

of fossil fuels in the case of polyurethane

34% reduction

of fossil fuels in the case of polyamide

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Polynspire

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