Covestro and Fraunhofer UMSICHT have joined forces on a smart pyrolysis recycling pilot plant

Materials manufacturer Covestro and the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology (UMSICHT) have signed an agreement to operate a pilot plant capable of processing two thousand tonnes of rigid polyurethane foam waste per year through smart pyrolysis. The facility is expected to be up and running by mid-2028.

The plant will focus on converting insulation waste from household appliances and construction into high-purity re-aniline, a key ingredient in the production of MDI (methylene diphenyl diisocyanate). Notably, the MDI produced meets the same quality standards as conventionally made MDI, yet carries a carbon footprint up to 401 per cent lower than traditional fossil-based production.

Dr Markus Dugal, Head of Process Technology at Covestro, described the agreement as a decisive step towards bringing smart pyrolysis to an industrial scale. He highlighted that the partnership merges Covestro's chemical expertise with Fraunhofer UMSICHT's process engineering strengths, with the shared goal of proving that end-of-life polyurethane materials can be chemically recycled at scale.

The annual output of aniline from the plant could potentially be used to manufacture insulation for around 200,000 refrigerators. The technology is particularly focused on rigid foam waste—a material that has long been considered difficult to recycle due to its complex molecular structure—making this collaboration all the more significant for the future of circular manufacturing.

Source: Covestro