Flexible PU foam solutions provider The Vita Group and Dow have announced the next stage of the RENUVATM Mattress Recycling Program with a new collaboration for the production of flexible PU foams made with RENUVATM polyols – raw materials created from recycled mattress content.
Vita Group joins Dow’s mattress recycling programme
This milestone is a logical next step for the RENUVATM Mattress Recycling Program journey, a circular economy initiative from Dow.
With this announcement, the RENUVATM Mattress Recycling Program will demonstrate the possibility of closing the loop for post-consumer mattresses and the role of PU in a circular economy. As previously announced, Eco-mobilier will supply post-consumer PU mattress foam for chemical recycling to the first industrial scale production plant operated by Orrion Chemicals Orgaform, France. The result will be new polyols, ready for use in foam solutions. The Vita Group will start using RENUVATM Polyols at its production site of ICOA in Crancey, France in early 2021. Vita will also work closely with its customers and mattress brands in the French and European markets to promote the application of the foam for new mattresses as well as seek applications in other product areas.
Ian W Robb, Group CEO for The Vita Group, said: “Sustainability and innovation are integral to Vita’s culture, our purpose, and our values. We are committed to being pioneers in the development of a circular economy within our industry, where post-consumer flexible PU foams will be recycled into new raw materials for use in our manufacturing processes to produce new quality foams.”
Ana Carolina Haracemiv, EMEAI Commercial Vice President, Dow Polyurethanes, added: “We are proud to expand the RENUVATM ecosystem by having Vita on board to produce flexible foam with RENUVATM polyol. Their market experience and sustainability focus will help enable a faster industry realization of a circular economy for flexible polyurethane foams.”
The RENUVATM Mattress Recycling Program aims to recycle up to 200,000 mattresses a year in France and help address the problem of waste landfilling and incineration. Initial production of RENUVATM polyols is anticipated in the first half of 2021.