- H&S signed a contract with RetourMatras to build a chemical recycling plant for PU mattresses.
- 1.5 million mattresses will be dismantled annually in the Netherlands and Belgium starting in 2021.
- The reactor plant is scheduled to be commissioned by the end of 2021.
- The EU aims to recycle 65% of all municipal waste by 2035.
New Recycling Plant for PU Mattresses
H&S Anlagentechnik GmbH has partnered with Dutch recycling company RetourMatras to construct a plant for the chemical recycling of discarded PU mattresses. Starting in 2021, RetourMatras will dismantle 1.5 million old mattresses annually in the Netherlands and Belgium. A portion of these mattresses will be recycled using H&S's process technology and know-how. The reactor plant is expected to be operational by the end of 2021.
Contribution to European Sustainability Goals
In Europe, up to 30 million old mattresses are disposed of in landfills or incinerators each year, removing them from the material cycle. The European Union aims to recycle 65% of all municipal waste by 2035. The new recycling technology from H&S can significantly contribute to this goal by generating valuable recovered polyols, which can be used to produce high-quality flexible and other PU foams. This process allows for the chemical recycling of different foams from various mattress manufacturers, providing the furniture industry with valuable secondary raw materials.
Industry Shift Towards Upcycling Solutions
H&S's industrial-scale reactor plant in Flevoland is part of the RENUVA™ mattress recycling program by Dow. The H&S team also supports Orrion Chemicals Orgaform from France with their sustainable system concept. Additionally, H&S offers recycling plants for production waste, a technology used by Ikano Industry in Poland since 2013 to recover valuable polyols from production waste. The focus on sustainable recycling solutions is increasingly important, especially in times of raw material scarcity, as recovered polyols help reduce production costs and increase competitiveness.
