Old mattresses made of polyurethane foam will now be recycled, disassembled and chemically recycled at the new recycling plant that opened on September 22 to make new polyols-a key raw material for the production of polyurethane-Dow Polyurethanes in cooperation with Orrion Chemicals Orgaform , Eco-mobilier, H&S Anlagentechnik and Vita Group.

This polyol is specifically designed for various applications including mattresses. The two companies stated that the announcement is an important step in the recovery and recycling of polyurethane foam, and a significant step forward in closing the cycle of end-of-life mattresses. At full capacity, the factory will process up to 200,000 mattresses per year to solve the growing problem of mattress waste.

The opening of this facility marks another transit point for the partner RENUVA™ program, which aims to develop the circularity of the bedding space and move it to the production stage.

“We are very proud to be able to lift the veil of this factory. By doing so, we answered the question of what can be done with recycled polyurethane foam,” said Marie Buy, head of sustainability at Dow Polyurethane EMEAI. "As RENUVA™ now shifts its focus to the production stage and the first foam made with new polyols, our journey to sustainable development of Dow Polyurethanes continues. We are actively exploring the future of recycled materials and potential applications Possibility. This is really a new beginning."

It is said that the RENUVA™ mattress recycling plant is the result of close cooperation between Dow and the major players in the mattress life cycle: chemical innovator Orrion Chemicals Orgaform, expert mattress collector Eco-Mobilier, turnkey solution provider H&S Anlagentechnik and The Vita group of foam manufacturers.

"This is the first time for our company and France. Orrion Chemicals Orgaform President Christian Siest commented, "We are committed to creating more sustainable solutions for a long time, and we have long recognized that industry needs to participate in solutions. The factory uses a chemical recycling process in which polyurethane foam is decomposed and converted into novel items. The advantage of this is versatility. We can handle foam from any mattress, and the RENUVA™ polyol formula itself can be customized for different applications. "

"Our goal is to ensure the quality of the materials collected and delivered to RENUVA so that we can comply with our closed-loop commitments", said Dominique Mignon, President of Eco-Mobilier.

As previously announced, The Vita Group, a supplier of flexible polyurethane foam solutions, will use RENUVA™ polyols to manufacture its Orbis flexible foam, "providing more sustainable products for the bedding market."

“Consumers’ attitudes have changed significantly, and people are more and more concerned about making sustainable choices. We have seen customers from all over Europe have a strong interest in Orbis foam and RENUVA™ technology, which contributes to our product line. Provides exciting opportunities,” commented Mark Lewis, Vita Group’s Director of Operations and Projects. “For more than 50 years, Vita has recycled or re-bonded pre-consumer foam into materials suitable for a range of products, such as floor underlays. Our cooperation with Dow has allowed us to take our sustainability vision to a new level, and we are very proud and excited to play our role in driving this breakthrough innovation."

Learn more on September 29 Dow and RENUVA™ partners will host a special virtual event "Close the Mattress Cycle: A New Start for RENUVA™" on September 29 to reflect on the future of the plan and share Detailed understanding of the factory used in the bedding industry.

Register for free to learn more: engage.dow.com/RENUVAWebinar29Sept21.

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