Page 130 - CW E-Magazine (22-7-2025)

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POOLING EXPERTISE
Covestro India and CSIR-NCL to jointly work on

upcycling polyurethane waste

Covestro (India) Pvt. Ltd. – the
Indian arm of German polymer materials
fi rm Covestro – has signed a Memoran-
dum of Understanding (MoU) with the
CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory
(NCL), Pune, launching a Corporate
Social Responsibility (CSR) project
aimed at developing chemical recyc-
ling solutions for polyurethane waste
materials.

The collaborative project will ex-
plore approaches to transform poly-
urethane waste into valuable chemical
building blocks. This research aims The project addresses the criti- guished research team, and proven
to develop commercially viable tech- cal global challenge of polyurethane track record in developing environmen-
nologies that could greatly improve the waste management. Unlike conven- tally sustainable technologies.
circularity of polyurethane materials tional plastics, polyurethanes present
while reducing environmental impact. unique recycling challenges due to “The conventional and electro-
their complex chemical structure and chemical strategies we are developing
Currently, polyurethane recycling is cross-linked nature. Currently, the address the critical limitations of cur-
limited primarily to mechanical methods polyurethane economy largely follows rent recycling technologies and align
and a few emerging chemical pro- a linear model where these specialised perfectly with our shared vision of
cesses. These existing approaches face materials, widely used in furniture, auto- a circular economy. This collabora-
signifi cant limitations including degra- motive components, insulation, and tion represents a signifi cant step to-
dation of material properties, high countless other applications, are often ward sustainable plastic management
energy requirements, potential genera- discarded after use, eventually accumu- in India and globally, with poten-
tion of harmful byproducts, and limited lating in landfi lls. tial to transform polyurethane waste
applicability across different polyure- into valuable chemical resources,”
thane types. The development of effi - The collaboration will leverage noted Dr. Ashish Lele, Director,
cient chemical recycling technologies NCL’s cutting-edge infrastructure, distin- NCL.
for polyurethanes represents a critical
industry need that this project aims to Two workers die during tank inspection
address. at MRPL refi nery

Commenting on the launch of the Two fi eld operators of Manga- and were declared dead when they were
project, Avinash Bagdi, Director and lore Refi nery and Petrochemicals Ltd. shifted to a nearby hospital, MRPL said.
Head of Sales & MD Solutions India & (MRPL) lost their lives while on duty A statement by the Mangaluru Police
Projects – Tailored Urethanes said, at the refi nery’s oil movement section said that a minor hydrogen sulphide gas
“By developing effective methods to (OMS) on July 12. leakage appears to have occurred and
upcycle polyurethanes, we are taking the workers happened to inhale that gas
concrete steps towards creating a more The fi eld operators were on top of while inspecting the area as part of their
sustainable future in line with our cor- tank platform for checking a suspected regular duties, despite wearing masks.
porate vision of driving the transition level malfunction. They were found un- The fi re and safety team of MRPL has
to a circular economy”. conscious on the tank roof top platform fi xed the leakage, it said.

130 Chemical Weekly July 22, 2025

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