Evonik, Toyotsu Chemiplas, and Sanyo Chemical launch Japan polyurethane recycling initiative

Initiative targets recovery of polyols and amines from post-consumer polyurethane foam and production scrap

Evonik has formed a strategic partnership with Toyotsu Chemiplas Corporation and Sanyo Chemical Industries, to establish a domestic polyurethane foam recycling model in Japan. This joint initiative focuses on processing post-consumer foam into recycled polyols and amines, which will serve as raw materials for manufacturing new polyurethane products. The project aligns with Evonik’s broader commitment to accelerating polyurethane recycling through value-chain-wide collaboration.

Polyurethane foam is widely used in automotive seats, mattresses, and furniture, but most waste is incinerated or landfilled. Conventional mechanical recycling typically downgrades the material into lower-value applications. Fortunately, chemical recycling offers a solution by recovering high-value raw materials—like polyols and amines—to create a truly circular production loop.

Within the partnership, Toyotsu Chemiplas will lead the initiative by managing logistics and leveraging its extensive collection network. Meanwhile, Sanyo Chemical will deliver polyol development and process technology expertise, complemented by Evonik, which will provide its technical knowledge and proprietary hydrolysis-based chemical recycling process.

“This collaboration with our Japanese partners represents an important step toward developing a practical recycling model for polyurethane foam in Japan. It also reflects Evonik’s ambition to scale polyurethane recycling by building strong partnerships across the value chain. By combining local collection and logistics expertise with polyol development and our chemical recycling technology, we aim to recover valuable raw materials for use in new, high-quality polyurethane foams and support more circular polyurethane value chains,” said Dr. Martin Trocha, Head of Comfort & Adhesives in Evonik’s business line Interface & Polyurethane Additives.

The partners plan to develop a system for collecting both post-consumer polyurethane foam and post-industrial scrap. The collected material will be chemically recycled into high-purity polyols and amines, intended for reuse as raw materials in the manufacture of new polyurethane products.

Polyurethane foam made from 100 % recycled polyols, produced using the chemical recycling technology from Evonik.

The hydrolysis-based chemical recycling process from Evonik is designed to produce recycled polyols with high purity and consistent quality. The process provides polyurethane foam manufacturers with a drop-in solution and can significantly reduce carbon footprint compared to virgin materials. New polyurethane foam has already been successfully produced using 100 percent recycled polyol derived from the process.

The three companies will jointly evaluate the entire process, from collection and sorting to the production of recycled polyols and the manufacture of new polyurethane products. This work will include quality assessments and further updates to Evonik’s existing life cycle assessment to reflect the proposed value chain in Japan. The objective is to commercialize the technology and establish a scalable recycling model for polyurethane foam in Japan.

Toyotsu Chemiplas is responsible for coordinating the initiative and will contribute its collection network and logistics expertise. Sanyo Chemical will contribute its expertise in polyol development and process technology. Evonik will provide its hydrolysis chemical recycling technology and technical expertise as part of its global efforts to support the scale-up of polyurethane recycling through partnerships.