Page 158 - CW E-Magazine (4-6-2024)

News from Abroad

CIRCULAR ECONOMY
Consortium to advance recycling of end-of-life

PU mattress foams

The Foam Recycling Ecosystem recycling market in the coming years
Evolution (FREE) project, which may look like. The partners believe that
kicked off in Europe recently, is bring- chemical and mechanical recycling can
ing together stakeholders to enable be complementary given different speci-
creation of a new material cycle for fications of inlet materials being sorted
flexible polyurethane (PU) foam from already at dismantlers. To provide added
used mattresses. The French company value to the PU foam material, the con-
Ecomaison involved in collecting sortium will investigate all possibilities
and recycling used furniture has been ble foams, are involved as partners in in a future oriented eco-system of foam
working with German polymer major, the FREE project, which is planned to recycling. The research and development
Covestro, for a few years to utilise its run for a maximum of 24 months. The project includes the foam sorting at the
chemical recycling technology for this project is coordinated by Covestro and dismantling step, as well as a compara-
purpose. With this advanced process, half-funded by Ecomaison. tive feasibility study for two recycling
both raw materials originally used can processes for the sorted foams covering
be recovered – the polyol as well as the The project partners are exploring economic and ecologic value co-creation.
precursor to the isocyanate TDI. all possibilities in a future-oriented
foam recycling ecosystem and are A few years ago, Covestro and its
The aim of the partners is to recycle convinced that chemical and mechani- partners developed a chemical recy-
the sorted polyurethane foams as cal recycling will complement each cling process that is the only one of its
efficiently as possible by combining other in a meaningful way. As dis- kind capable of ultimately recovering
mechanical and chemical technologies mantler and sorting actor, Secondly, is both main raw materials of flexible
after careful sorting by foam type in interested in empowering its sorting pro- PU foams in high purity. The company
the mattress cutting plants. In addition cesses to be able to supply to recyclers also operates a pilot plant at the Lever-
to Ecomaison and Covestro, the French a specified quality of foam. kusen (Germany) site for this purpose.
dismantling company Secondly and Together with the waste management
Federal Eco Foam, a Belgian specia- At the same time, the project will industry, the company wants to drive
list in the mechanical recycling of flexi- provide a good picture of how the foam the process forward to industrial use.

Maire arm takes over two European engineering companies

Italian engineering & technology sion of natural resources (downstream such as process, automation, mechani-
group, Maire, has announced that its segment), with a specific focus on cal, piping, electrical, and civil engineer-
subsidiary, KT – Kinetics Technology innovative rubbers, as well as in green ing. Especially, KTI Poland has a strong
(part of the Integrated E&C Solutions chemistry, such as biofuels and bio- footprint in Eastern Europe, which
Business Units operating also in sup- plastics. The two companies provide Maire Group will leverage to strengthen
port of the Sustainable Technology a wide range of services in the whole its position in the region and seize new
Solutions Business Unit) has signed a value chain, from feasibility studies to opportunities and prospects, especially
binding agreement to acquire 100% of engineering and project management in the upgrading of existing plants.
APS Evolution S.r.l, the parent company consultancy, as well as procurement,
controlling APS Designing Energy construction, and training services. The agreement provides for an
S.r.l. and KTI Poland S.A. overall purchase price of approximately
This acquisition will enable Maire to €7.7-mn, of which approximately
APS Designing Energy and KTI expand its engineering capacity by add- €1.2-mn to be paid at the closing date,
Poland are two engineering companies ing a multidisciplinary team of around and €6.5-mn in four instalments within
carrying out projects for the conver- 280 skilled experts in different fields, 5 years from closing.

158 Chemical Weekly June 4, 2024

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