Page 169 - CW E-Magazine (26-9-2023)

News from Abroad

COLLABORATION

Evonik and Remondis to advance sustainable

polyurethane recycling

Germany’s Evonik is one step closer
to its goal of closing the material cycle
in the polyurethane industry: The com-
pany has joined forces with the German
recycling company, Remondis Group, to
secure the supply of end-of-life mattress
foams. The cooperation will support
Evonik as it develops its chemical recyc-
ling process to the next level.

Evonik’s hydrolysis process makes it
possible to recover the main components
of polyurethane foam and reuse them as
high-quality building blocks in the pro-
duction of new mattresses. This process of the environment, the industry, and The cooperation with the flexible
is currently being tested in a pilot plant consumers,” said Mr. Thomas Wessel, foam producer, The Vita Group, started in
in Hanau (Germany), and in a next step, member of Evonik’s Executive Board 2021, has already successfully demon-
the recycling process will be tested in a responsible for sustainability. strated that Evonik’s hydrolysis process
larger demonstration plant. recovers raw materials of significantly
The Remondis Group contributes its higher quality, and thus improved us-
According to estimates, more than expertise in sorting PU flexible foams ability compared with previous recycling
250-ktpa of PU foam from old mat- from waste and feeding them into the technologies. According to findings so
tresses are incinerated or landfilled in cycle in constant quality so that they can far, Evonik’s process significantly reduces
Europe. Evonik and Remondis want to be converted into chemical recyclates the CO footprint compared with mattress
2
help reduce this with the goal of ensur- using Evonik’s hydrolysis process. production using fossil raw materials.
ing fewer fossil raw materials are used in
the PU value chain by returning valuable “By working together with Remondis, The demonstration plant intends to
materials to the raw material cycle. we can evolve from the current linear prove that this also applies on a larger
value chains to functioning circular scale. The initial focus of the project
“Circularity in the field of flexible loops. True circularity only works in is on the region of North Rhine-West-
polyurethane foams is very important networks, that’s why we are actively phalia, Germany. However, the goal is
both for the environment, and for the expanding our collaborations,” said to develop a scalable technology and a
future viability of our business. It gives Dr. Patrick Glöckner, Head of Evonik’s business model that can be expanded
us the opportunity to act in the interests Global Circular Economy Program. internationally.

IMPURITY LEVELS
China sets limit for benzene in cosmetics

China has set a limit for benzene Standards for Cosmetics (2015 Edition introduced as an impurity during manu-
as an impurity in cosmetics. China’s (STSC 2015)). Test methods included facturing processes.
National Medical Products Adminis- in the notice cover pH value of cosme-
tration (NMPA) has issued ‘Notice tics in water-in-oil form, skin whitening The notification has now set the
No. 41’ announcing 14 new and five agents testing methods and so on. Ben- limit of a maximum of 2-ppm. The
revised testing methods for cosmetics zene is already a prohibited ingredient newly proposed limit is the same as
to be included in Safety and Technical in cosmetics in China. But it can be the US FDA’s for cosmetics use.

Chemical Weekly September 26, 2023 169

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