The RENUVA™ Program: RENUVA™ is a circular economy program from Dow which attempts to recycle end-of-life polyurethane products in collaboration with the value chain. Polyurethanes (PU) is a much diversified technology touching many different end applications around the world. Applying the principles of a circular economy will help optimize the use and reuse of resources and ultimately reduce the amount of waste that goes into landfills or incineration. A unique feature of the RENUVA™ Program is its ability to bring the entire value chain together in a new business eco-system model with opportunity for partnerships of recycling companies, equipment and material manufacturers, brand owners and other value chain participants.
Testing will demonstrate ability to trace circular polyurethane flexible foam composition and strengthen value-chain transparency
HORGEN, SWITZERLAND – Dow Polyurethanes, a business division of Dow (NYSE: DOW), has launched a blockchain pilot project to test the technology’s suitability for supporting flexible foam circularity. The pilot uses a blockchain platform developed by ChemChain to transfer verified product information securely within the RENUVA™ mattress recycling program.
“What if we could ensure transparency in a circular product without compromising confidentiality? Our engagement with recyclers and customers on circular solutions has led us to pose this crucial question. Ensuring that the necessary compositional information can be shared at every step in the value chain is critical to enable circularity at the end of product life”, said Jihane Ball, director of global product safety and compliance at Dow. “Through our pilot, we are testing the transfer of product information in a controlled way and applying it to the circular RENUVA™ mattress recycling program.”
Existing chemical industry information exchange systems are unable to meet the demands for prompt responses, consistency, disclosure of information about formulations, and trust along the entire supply chain.
The advent of circular products is driving the need for efficient and reliable information sharing along the supply chain. Blockchain technology can speed up information exchange, providing quick access to verified data on a need-to-know basis, and enabling traceability.
The RENUVA Mattress Recycling Program -Process Flow Chart
Using the ChemChain platform developed for the chemical industry, Dow will generate digital assets containing key encrypted information on the chemical composition of its solutions. These assets can be integrated into the final polyurethane-based products ensuring contents can be identified at every stage in a products’ lifecycle. Recyclers can then easily access this information and identify the most appropriate action for the disposal or recycling of end-of-life mattresses.
ChemChain is a blockchain platform designed for use by the chemical industry to transfer information on chemicals in products along the value chain, from chemical manufacturers to consumers, recyclers, and waste operators. The platform is the result of the ChemChain European project.
The RENUVA™ mattress recycling program is part of Dow’s RENUVA™ circular economy program which aims to advance the recycling of end-of-life polyurethane products in collaboration with the value chain.
Dow (NYSE: DOW) combines global breadth, asset integration and scale, focused innovation and leading business positions to achieve profitable growth. The Company’s ambition is to become the most innovative, customer centric, inclusive and sustainable materials science company, with a purpose to deliver a sustainable future for the world through our materials science expertise and collaboration with our partners. Dow’s portfolio of plastics, industrial intermediates, coatings and silicones businesses delivers a broad range of differentiated science-based products and solutions for its customers in high-growth market segments, such as packaging, infrastructure, mobility and consumer care. Dow operates 106 manufacturing sites in 31 countries and employs approximately 35,700 people. Dow delivered sales of approximately $39 billion in 2020. References to Dow or the Company mean Dow Inc. and its subsidiaries.
Dow has been recognized with five Manufacturing Leadership Awards by the Manufacturing Leadership Council, a division of the National Association of Manufacturers. The awards are given to individuals and projects that have excelled in the advancement of manufacturing capabilities. Recipients are chosen by a panel of expert judges for results that have delivered outstanding examples of technology-driven leadership combined with a commitment to innovation and improvement.
