Covestro and Fraunhofer UMSICHT sign contract for groundbreaking smart pyrolysis recycling pilot plant
Materials manufacturer Covestro and the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology UMSICHT have signed a contract to operate a 2kt per year pilot plant for smart pyrolysis of rigid polyurethane foam waste. The plant will be operational by 2028. The agreement marks a significant milestone in scaling up the technology to convert insulation waste from appliance and construction into high-purity re-aniline for the production of MDI (methylene diphenyl diisocyanate). The resulting MDI meets the same purity standards as conventional MDI with up to 40 percent lower carbon footprint compared to conventional fossil-based production routes. "The contract with Fraunhofer UMSICHT is a decisive step towards industrializing our smart pyrolysis technology," said Dr. Markus Dugal, Head of Process Technology of Covestro. "This partnership combines our chemical and technology expertise with Fraunhofer's process engineering capabilities and assets to scale a t...