MEYRIN, Switzerland -- The Dow Chemical Co., Midland, Mich., and Mobius Technologies, Grass Valley, Calif., have completed the installation of a proprietary polyurethane-recycling system at Dow's Technical Development Center in Meyrin, Switzerland. The technology gives polyurethane foam producers an economical way to turn scrap-foam into a replacement for virgin chemicals, thereby reducing the costs of producing new foam.

"We anticipate that customers will be pleased with the capabilities of the machine. We have channeled a lot of effort into this project in order to demonstrate that foam recycling can be economically viable," says Steven English, business development director, Dow Polyurethanes. "A considerable amount of scrap is made whenever flexible slab and molded foams are produced. The scrap has some value when it is reused for re-bonding applications, such as carpet padding and NVH (noise/vibration/harshness) cushioning for automobiles. However, the supply of scrap usually outstrips demand, so this value fluctuates. Moreover, much of the scrap produced is unsuitable for these applications and must be directed to a landfill."