The RePURpose project stands for a method of recycling polyurethane (PUR). PUR is used in a wide range of products, including refrigerators, shoes, mattresses, wind turbine blades, and LOGSTOR pre-insulated pipes. It possesses unique properties, such as elasticity or high insulation capacity, depending on the variant. The material accounts for approximately eight percent of total plastic production worldwide, yet it cannot be recycled in the same way as the more common types of plastic used in packaging, for example.
Using a new method, RePURpose has succeeded in extracting the building blocks of polyurethane, known as polyols, from used PUR. These polyols can then be recycled to produce new PUR material. This breakthrough paves the way for a circular economy for PUR plastic, which was not previously possible to the same extent.
Our collaboration partners for this project are Dan-Foam, ECCO, H. J. Hansen Genvindingsindustri, Tinby, Plixxent, Aarhus University, and the Danish Technological Institute.
Read more about the project here.
