Revolutionary Hungarian invention in the recycling of insulation waste

By: Trademagazin Date: 2025. 03. 18. 10:34

The management of rigid insulation foam waste generated during industrial use is a huge environmental challenge, with more than one million tons of it ending up in landfills or incinerators worldwide every year. Its storage and disposal pose a serious environmental burden. A Hungarian startup has now developed a revolutionary solution in the recycling of insulation waste, together with the Budapest University of Technology and Economics, creating a new and valuable raw material. The innovation can be quickly and cost-effectively applied on an industrial scale in waste management, helping to avoid landfill or incineration, while creating environmentally friendly construction or furniture products.

Insulation foam waste is difficult to decompose and breaks down into microplastics

Rigid insulation material (polyurethane foam) is used in many areas, mainly in the construction industry for facade, roof, ceiling and wall panel insulation, for the insulation of refrigerators and freezers, for noise and heat insulation of vehicle bodies, and as a rigid foam core in furniture. Polyurethane foam is light and durable, but it can have several harmful effects on the environment.

The fact that the significant amount of polyurethane waste generated during industrial use is difficult to recycle and is non-biodegradable poses a huge environmental burden. More than one million tons of polyurethane insulation material are landfilled or incinerated worldwide every year. There are serious concerns that it remains in landfills for a long time, takes up space, and can pollute the air, soil and water, as it can break down into microplastics over time. If burned under inappropriate conditions, it can emit toxic fumes and pollutants.

Hungarian technology provides a more sustainable alternative in recycling

International research has long been looking for processes that enable the environmentally friendly utilization of these materials. However, due to the complex chemical structure of rigid polyurethane foam, currently known processes are not satisfactory. Chemical recycling is an expensive and complex technology in which polyurethane foam is broken down into reusable chemical components. Mechanical recycling grinds the foam into smaller particles, but this typically results in lower quality materials.

In contrast, the joint development of Hungarian Purman® and the Budapest University of Technology and Economics offers a much more sustainable alternative. The method mechanically grinds insulation waste into small particles, then uses lignin, a renewable by-product of the paper and pulp industry, as a binding agent. The revolutionary technology combines two waste sources, rigid polyurethane and lignin, to create a new, valuable raw material from which environmentally friendly products can be made.