Covestro opens Leverkusen pilot plant for chemical recycling of Vulkollan
- Covestro opened a pilot plant in Leverkusen to advance chemical recycling of Vulkollan elastomers.
- The project is a double-digit million-euro investment and one of the first of its kind for this material class.
- The process can recycle more than 90% of selected end-of-life material by mass and cut carbon footprint by up to two thirds versus fossil-based virgin material.
- The facility will test waste streams, refine the process for industrial scale-up, and requires partners to build collection and closed-loop value chains.
Pilot plant and purpose
Covestro has opened a new pilot plant at its Leverkusen site to move a chemical recycling process for Vulkollan from laboratory development into pilot operation. The double-digit million-euro project is presented as one of the first installations worldwide for this material class and aims to bring innovative chemistry closer to industrial application.
Process performance and applications
The recycling process breaks selected end-of-life Vulkollan down into purified building blocks for reuse, enabling more than 90% of the material by mass to be recycled and offering a potential carbon-footprint reduction of up to two thirds compared with fossil-based virgin material. Vulkollan is used in forklift wheels, railway buffer elements, automotive jounce bumpers and vibration control components.
Scale-up and testing
The pilot plant enables testing of different waste streams, systematic refinement of the process and collection of data needed for future industrial scale-up as part of Covestro's pre-industrialization journey to demonstrate technical feasibility and prepare for industrial application.
Building circular value chains
Covestro is collaborating with customers, recyclers, waste collectors, logistics providers and other partners to develop collection and return systems, secure suitable end-of-life materials, maintain consistent feedstock quality and establish economically viable closed-loop solutions. The company also plans to use the facility to explore circular solutions for selected specialty cast elastomers and thermoplastic polyurethanes, and to strengthen Leverkusen as a centre for sustainable material innovation.
Source: Covestro