March 11, 2026 12:10

Covestro and Fraunhofer UMSICHT (Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology) are joining forces to bring the chemical recycling of rigid polyurethane foams closer to industrial scale, with the aim of recovering reusable aniline at the end of the process for renewed MDI production, one of the main building blocks of polyurethanes.

The project involves the construction of a pilot plant with a treatment capacity of 2,000 tonnes per year. The high-purity recycled aniline (99%) will make it possible to produce MDI with a carbon footprint up to 40% lower than that of MDI made from fossil-based raw materials.

The pilot plant is scheduled to come on stream around mid-2028. Initially, it will process rigid PUR/PIR foam waste from end-of-life insulation materials, which are difficult to recycle because of their crosslinked molecular structure.

Under the agreement, Fraunhofer UMSICHT will contribute its pyrolysis research expertise and chemical recycling infrastructure to implement and scale up Covestro’s proprietary smart pyrolysis process.

“The project is underpinned by our own research and technology developments in chemical recycling and downstream processing,” commented Alexander Hofmann, Head of Thermochemical Conversion Technologies at the German research institute. “The pilot plant will allow us to optimize process parameters at scale and provide sufficient material for further processing tests and market development.”

The technological development builds on research carried out within the EU-funded flagship project Circular Foam, coordinated by Covestro together with Fraunhofer UMSICHT and 23 other partners across Europe. Following successful validation at laboratory and mini-plant scale, the smart pyrolysis pilot unit represents the next step towards commercial implementation of the technology.

According to Covestro, the European MDI market for rigid foams is expected to grow in the coming years from 1.4 million tonnes per year in 2025 to 1.9 million tonnes in 2035, driven by rising demand for insulation in energy-efficient buildings and refrigeration applications.

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