Evonik develops hydrolysis process to recycle polyurethane at Hanau
- Evonik developed a hydrolysis process that breaks PU foam into its chemical building blocks for full recovery and reuse.
- A continuously operated pilot plant at the Hanau site is demonstrating lab results with the aim of industrial scaling.
- Hesse awarded a funding notice during Minister Kaweh Mansoori’s visit to support further development.
- A technology center for chemical recycling and an electrochemistry hub are planned at the Wolfgang Industrial Park to scale pretreatment, purification and additional waste‑stream use.
Process and pilot
Evonik has developed a hydrolysis process that depolymerizes polyurethane (PU) foam — from sources such as mattresses, car seats and furniture — into its chemical building blocks. The recovered recyclates can be reused to produce high‑quality products. Laboratory success is being validated in a continuously operated pilot plant at Evonik’s Hanau site.
Scaling and site plans
The objective is industrial scaling to substitute fossil raw materials and reduce the CO₂ footprint while enabling a circular economy for PU. At Hanau, Evonik plans a technology center for chemical recycling to advance pretreatment (shredding, pelletizing, grinding), purification of reaction mixtures (filtration, centrifugation) and the integration of additional waste streams.
Support and strategic intent
The Hessian Ministry of Economic Affairs presented a funding notice to support further development. Site management positions the project as a concrete solution to return main PU components to new‑goods quality and as part of the Wolfgang Industrial Park’s role as an innovation, technology and scaling location. The park also plans an electrochemistry hub to transfer electrochemical processes to industrial scale for applications including battery materials, membranes and catalysts.
Source: Evonik
