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Research and Innovation

CIRCULAR FOAM concludes after four years with groundbreaking results

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Circular Foam

After four years of research and collaboration, the CIRCULAR FOAM project has officially come to a close, delivering significant advancements in sustainable materials management. Rigid polyurethane foams—widely used in building insulation and household appliances like refrigerators—have long posed an environmental challenge at the end of their lifecycle, with disposal typically limited to landfill or incineration. These methods not only waste valuable raw materials but also contribute to climate impact.

The CIRCULAR FOAM initiative set out to change this by developing a fully circular approach to managing these materials. Over the course of the project, researchers successfully created an end-to-end system for recycling rigid polyurethane foam from both construction and appliances. A key innovation, described as “Smart Pyrolysis,” enables recycling with a 50–80% reduction in CO₂ emissions while generating low-carbon recycled aniline. This breakthrough was made possible through the combined efforts of more than 20 organisations across eight countries, demonstrating that large-scale circular economy solutions are both achievable and effective.

 

Explore the full article here, or read the original press release here.

 

 

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