PU equipment producer and processing specialist H&S Anlagentechnik (Sulingen / Germany; www.hs-anlagentechnik.de) has developed the technology and reactor capacities that enable the chemical conversion of PU foam out of post-consumer mattresses into high-quality polyols that can be re-used in rigid PU foams. Based on what the group called an “optimised acidolysis method”, the technology enables the generation of recovered polyols that can substitute up to 50% of the original polyol without compromising the final product’s physical or mechanical properties.

The company said the process has been tested on a continuous lamination line at a European insulation panel producer. The test has shown that the polyols recovered using the process have good reactivity and do not contain hazardous primary aromatic amines. In addition to preventing mattresses from ending up in landfill or being incinerated, the manufacturing costs of the recovered polyols from H&S’ process are also 35% cheaper than those of virgin polyols, the company said.