Circularise Achieves Major Milestone in PU Foam Recycling with Digital Product Passports

The Hague, The Netherlands, 16 December 2024 – Circularise is proud to announce significant advancements from its involvement in the Circular Foam project, which aims to revolutionise the recycling of rigid polyurethane (PU) foam. Running from October 2021 to September 2025, the project brings together multiple industry leaders to address the recycling challenges posed by PU foam, a material widely used in construction, appliances, and insulation. The Circular Foam initiative is critical in advancing the circularity of this material, with a focus on creating systemic, territorial approaches for efficient recycling.

The Circular Foam project’s environmental impact is significant. By 2040, the project is estimated to prevent 1 million tons of waste, reduce 2.9 million tons of CO2 emissions, and save 150 million euros in incineration costs. Circularise is helping to test and refine solutions for large-scale implementation of circular PU foam recycling in order to formulate recommendations for scaling the solution throughout Europe. 

Led by Covestro in collaboration with Circularise, Kinsgpan, Electrolux, Unilin, and other key partners in Germany, Italy, Belgium, and Ireland, the project focuses on overcoming the complexities of recycling PU foam, which offers significant energy-saving benefits but lacks standardisation for effective recycling. Circularise’s role within the project has been pivotal in advancing product traceability through the development of digital product passports (DPPs). These passports enable secure, transparent data sharing across the entire value chain, enhancing the recyclability of PU foam products.

Circularise has successfully created DPPs for key products, including an Electrolux refrigerator door, a Unilin insulation board, and a Kingspan metal panel. These DPPs capture vital data about product composition, sustainability certifications, and end-of-life (EoL) processes, ensuring that recyclers and consumers have the information they need to make informed decisions. This level of traceability has empowered recycling companies to access critical material and product data, allowing for more efficient recycling processes and higher recovery rates.

One of the most notable outcomes of the Circular Foam project is the ability to share confidential company data securely. Circularise’s platform uses blockchain technology and zero-knowledge cryptography to ensure that sensitive information, such as proprietary chemical compositions, is protected while still allowing companies to share essential details with the necessary stakeholders. This has set a new standard for data transparency and collaboration within the recycling industry.

Corrado Cecchini, Director of Global Technology Food Preservation Insulation & Materials Director at Electrolux Italia SpA, says, “Confidentiality is important to avoid disclosure of sensitive information, such as sources, and grades of materials used. The level of disclosure might be tuned in relation to the counterpart. In my opinion, public DPPs are a sign of transparency. The level of disclosure shall vary, higher for some customers, and lower with consumers.”

Consumers also benefit from Circularise’s innovation through the creation of public-facing Digital Product Passports (pDPPs). These QR-coded passports provide consumers with insights into a product’s lifecycle, from material composition to environmental impact. This feature enables environmentally conscious consumers to make informed purchasing decisions and supports the growing demand for transparency in sustainability.

Mesbah Sabur, CEO of Circularise, commented, “The progress made in the Circular Foam project demonstrates the critical role data traceability plays in enabling the circular economy. Our platform not only enhances recycling efficiency but also empowers consumers to make more sustainable choices. As we continue our work with industry leaders, we are excited to further our vision of scaling circularity across the PU foam value chain.”

Having finalised the work on DPPs and pDPPs in the Circular Foam Project, Circularise plans to extend its platform to other materials and industries, driving the global transition to a circular economy and advancing recycling practices across various sectors.