Covestro India and CSIR-NCL Collaborate to Transform Polyurethane Waste

Covestro (India) Private Limited and the National Chemical Laboratory (NCL) of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research of India have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to initiate an innovative CSR project aimed at developing sustainable upcycling solutions for polyurethane materials that address key limitations of current recycling technologies.

The collaborative project will explore innovative approaches to convert polyurethane waste into high-value chemical feedstocks. The research aims to develop commercially viable technologies to significantly increase the recyclability of polyurethane materials while reducing environmental impact.

Currently, polyurethane recycling is mainly limited to mechanical methods and a few emerging chemical processes. These existing methods face a number of limitations, including degradation of material properties, high energy consumption, potential for harmful by-products, and limited applicability to different types of polyurethane.

Commenting on the launch of the project, Avinash Bagdi, Director and Head of Sales and Managed Solutions & Projects, India, Tailored Urethanes said: “This collaboration reinforces our commitment to finding innovative solutions for polyurethane waste and directly supports Covestro’s vision of becoming fully circular. By developing effective methods for upgrading polyurethanes, we are taking solid steps towards creating a more sustainable future, in line with our corporate vision to drive the transition to a circular economy.”

The project addresses the critical global challenge of polyurethane waste management. Unlike traditional plastics, polyurethanes present unique recycling challenges due to their complex chemical structure and cross-linked nature. Currently, the polyurethane economy largely follows a linear model, and these specialized materials, which are widely used in furniture, automotive parts, insulation, and countless other applications, are often discarded after use and end up in landfills.

Speaking about the need for such solutions, Dr. Ashish Lele, Director, NCL said, “CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory is delighted to collaborate with Covestro India on this groundbreaking initiative to develop novel chemical upcycling methods for polyurethane waste. The conventional and electrochemical strategies we are developing address key limitations of current recycling technologies and align perfectly with our shared vision of a circular economy. This collaboration represents a significant step towards sustainable plastic management in India and globally, with the potential to transform polyurethane waste into a valuable chemical resource.”

NCL’s world-class expertise in chemical sciences and sustainable technology development makes it an ideal partner for this project.