Chemical and materials leader Dow and automotive scrap recycler Gruppo Fiori have developed a groundbreaking process to recycle polyurethane (PU) foam from end-of-life vehicles (ELVs)—a feat that challenges long-standing industry limitations. The partners announced significant progress in a jointly developed technology that recovers polyurethane waste without the need for vehicle disassembly, combining Dow’s materials science expertise with Gruppo Fiori’s advanced recycling ecosystem to open new pathways for automotive circularity.
A typical car contains about 28 kilograms (62 pounds) of polyurethane foam, roughly 10–15 kilograms (22–33 pounds) of which is used in seats. Traditionally, recovering this material required complete disassembly—an expensive and time-consuming process. Dow and Gruppo Fiori’s new method enables the direct extraction of clean PU foam, ready for chemical recycling, without dismantling the vehicle. The reclaimed material can then be converted into new, high-quality products, advancing a circular automotive supply chain where materials are reused and waste is minimized.
The collaboration, formalized in 2024, is a key step toward industrial-scale recycling of polyurethane and supports compliance with upcoming European Union End-of-Life Vehicle (ELV) regulations, which will mandate higher levels of recycled content in new cars.
A New Era for Polyurethane Foam Recycling
Polyurethane foam plays a crucial role in automotive comfort, safety, and energy efficiency. Yet traditional recycling methods pose challenges due to the complexity of vehicle structures. The innovative Dow–Gruppo Fiori process simplifies recovery, producing high-purity polyurethane waste streams suitable for depolymerization, a chemical recycling technique that regenerates raw materials for reuse.
This breakthrough helps:
- Recover PU foam from ELVs without disassembly
- Prevent landfill waste by reintegrating foam into the material cycle
- Enable large-scale recycling and reuse in mobility applications
- Create polyols with recycled content
- Support compliance with upcoming ELV regulations and OEM sustainability targets
Driving Automotive Circularity
“Collaboration is key to creating a closed-loop supply chain for the automotive industry,” said Dr. Esther Quintanilla, Global MobilityScience™ Marketing Director, Dow Polyurethanes. “Our partnership with Gruppo Fiori helps OEMs and component manufacturers meet sustainability and regulatory goals for recycled content—without compromising the performance benefits of polyurethanes.”
The partnership also advances Dow’s Renuva™ portfolio, which aims to transform waste streams into new feedstocks through mechanical and chemical recycling.
“Building circular ecosystems requires collaboration across the entire automotive value chain,” added Mauro Grotto, President of Italmetalli, a Gruppo Fiori company. “By combining our end-of-life vehicle recovery expertise with Dow’s depolymerization technologies, we can restore the value of waste materials and return that value to the industry.”
Sources: corporate.dow.com; wardsauto.com