Polyurethane (PU) is a versatile synthetic material widely used in automobile, construction, furniture, and other industries due to its excellent performance. However, with an increasing quantity of PU wastes, traditional landfilling and incineration methods not only cause a waste of considerable resources but also generate serious environmental pollution. Nowadays, PU recycling is gaining attention under China’s “Dual Carbon” goals. The PU industry is moving towards sustainability.
Technical Innovation: Shifting from Mechanical Recycling to Chemical Recycling for High Value-added Products
Mechanical recycling used to be the primary method for PU recycling. For instance, PU wastes can be mechanically crushed into powder and used in low-end products like carpet padding and soundproofing materials. Adient has deveoped a car seat composed of 20% re-polyol from PU end-of-life vehicles, representing an industry-first in the automobile sector. However, mechanically recycled products have relatively limited added value and fall short of meeting the market demand for high-end products.
Chemical recycling is currently considered the mainstream recycling method. High-value technologies are continuously emerging. For example, RAMPF upcycles PU waste into recycled polyols (RECYPOL®) using glycolysis for producing high-value products like aerogels. This method not only handles unsorted waste but also significantly reduces carbon emissions by 40% compared to traditional processes. Additionally, Wanhua Chemical uses alcoholysis to process waste rigid PU foams and obtain the target repolyol, achieving a closed loop in the PU circular economy industry. Products made with chemically recycled PU materials have performance comparable to virgin materials but at significantly reduced costs.
Biological degradation is also a promising method for PU recycling. MIT’s Vitrimer elastomers, containing dynamic sulfur bonds, can self-heal micro-cracks by heating at 60°C for 10 minutes, extending its lifespan by threefold. ASICS has invested in this technology and will potentially explore more applications in areas like athletic shoes. Morever, pyrolysis and bio-based substitution technologies continue to evolve. Dow collaborates with Freepoint to process 90,000 tonnes of waste by 2026, producing 65,000 tonnes of pyrolysis oil for chemical production. Covestro’s bio-based TPU reduces carbon emissions by 28% and has been successfully applied in soles for athletic shoes. These innovative technologies not only offer more possibilities for PU recycling but also power the sustainability in PU industry.
Sustainable Practices: Global Supply Chain Collaborative Innovation to Create a Closed-Loop Recycling Model
Collaborative innovation across the global supply chain has become a vital force driving the application of PU recycling technologies. Since the automobile industry is one of the primary application areas of PUs, carmakers are actively exploring closed-loop recycling models. Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is collaborating with Adient and Dow to pioneer closed‑loop recycling of PU seat foam from its used vehicles by successfully reintegrating it back into the production of new seats. The recycled foam reduces over 44 kg of carbon dioxide emissions per seat. JLR plans to achieve 20% recycled content for its vehicles by 2025, setting a new benchmark in the automobile industry.
BASF’s “Design for Recycling” PU foam technology starts from the product design stage, developing scalable PU foam components for simplified recycling. This solution has been tested at BASF’s Shanghai pilot plant and successfully applied in steering wheels and furniture. Chemical giants are also actively deploying PU recycling technologies. RAMPF’s PolymAEROcycle project uses supercritical drying technology to produce thermal insulation materials for EV batteries, generating over EUR 200 million annually. Huntsman transforms PET plastic bottles into polyester polyols, which contain up to 60% recycled waste and are applied in building insulation and footwear sectors.
Chinese enterprises have also made significant breakthroughs in PU recycling. Wanhua Chemical’s alcoholysis technology enables recycling of rigid PU foams in waste refrigerators. This innovation can help reduce pollution and lower raw material costs by 30%. Sinopec, in collaboration with Malaysia’s oil and gas company Petronas, has tapped into biomass fuel and pyrolysis technology, exploring commercial opportunities in PU chemical recycling. With continuous technological advancements, China’s recycled PU market is projected to be valued at over CNY 50 billion by 2030, accounting for over 30% of the global market.
Market Outlook: Boosted by Policies and Technologies, Circular Economy Embraces Broad Prospects
The global recycled PU market is embracing a bright future boosted by government policies and technological progress. The EU’s new End-of-Life Vehicle Regulation requires that vehicles must be made using an average of 25% post-consumer recycled materials. This regulation will effectively accelerate the application of closed-loop technologies in the automobile industry. With the development of technologies like supercritical fluid and biodegradation, the global recycled PU market is predicted to reach USD 15 billion by 2030, growing at a 12% CAGR.
In China, government policies are also creating dividends for the PU recycling industry. China’s 14th Five-Year Plan explicitly supports chemical recycling, aiming to increase the recycling rate of rigid and flexible foams to 5% by 2025. However, the current recycling rate of PU in China is only 1%, reflecting the imperfection of treatment facilities in China. Yet, with the breakthroughs by enterprises like Wanhua Chemical and Sinopec, along with government subsidies, a closed-loop product system can be established. China’s circular economy is expected to scale up to exceed CNY 500 billion by 2030, and PU recycling will become a crucial growth point.
Future Prospects: Intelligent and Molecular Recycling Drives the Emergence of a New Zero-Carbon Industrial Era
Looking forward, intelligent and molecular recycling will be technology trends in PU recycling. Intelligent sorting technology, combining visual recognition with robotics, will substantially improve the efficiency of waste processing. Molecular recycling leverages enzymatic degradation to depolymerize PUs into monomers, achieving 100% recycling rate. Furthermore, integrated carbon capture technologies will become a very attractive strategy for PU recycling. Using supercritical carbon dioxide (Sc-CO2) as physical foaming agent will promote zero-carbon manufacturing transformation in the PU industry.
PU recycling has progressed from technological exploration to industrial application. Through chemical recycling and closed-loop design, PU can transition towards a more sustainable lifecycle. With declining technology costs, circular economy principles will become the core competitiveness of PU producers in the future. If China can break through technological barriers and improve recycling systems, it has the potential to lead the global green materials market and contribute to the development of sustainable PUs.
