INTRODUCTION

Polymeric solid waste presents challenges and opportunities to

societies regardless of their sustainability awareness and technological

advances. More and more attention is being focused on Polyurethane

(PU) recycling due to ongoing changes in both regulatory and

environmental issues. Increasing landfill costs and decreasing landfill

space are forcing consideration of alternative options for the disposal

of PU materials [1].

In 2012, the Brazilian consumption of PU represented about 4% of the

world consumption volume. For that year, it was estimated a Brazilian

consumption equal to 563,000 tons of PU that represents 1.4 billion

dollars in sales. The growth of the PU Brazilian market between 2008

and 2012 was 6% per year. It was due not only to the resilience of the

main local consumers industries but also due to the government

programs of incentives; e.g. automotive and appliance industry [2].

This study aims to identify and characterize the waste generation as

the initial stage of Cleaner Production Program (CPP) implementation

in an industrial plant of PU molded foams production designed to

components for seats and vehicles interiors. The results will support

the waste management and the proposition of alternatives to a proper

and noble destination of the PU foam wastes based on quality tools

applied to CPP [3]

CPPs is gaining emphasis in both the world and Brazilian production

sectors. Studies have shown that the companies reach financial,

spatial and productivity gains with the program implementation [4].

METHODOLOGY

The industrial plant under study is strategically located in the

Southeast region of Brazil and has an installed capacity of 8,745,000

linear meters per year of PU foams. Currently, it is serving the

automotive industry with an average production about 550,000 meters

per month. All the foams are currently made using TDI/SAN-filled

polyol chemistry.

PU foam wastes generation in the production process was quantified

by monitoring conducted from January 2013 to June 2014.

Representative and periodic sampling allowed the waste

characterization in terms of physico-chemical properties by

standardized assays according to Fiat Auto Normazione (1992).

Compression Set, Dry Heat, Dump Heat, Tensile Strength, Elongation

at Rupture, Tear Strength, Ash Content and Load Deflection assays

were performed in 10 samples and statistical analyses have allowed

the evaluation of possible correlations between the obtained results.

Thermogravimetric analyses (TGA) were performed with a

thermogravimetric analyzer (DTG 60H, Shimadzu). Runs of TGA were

conducted in the ramp mode from room temperature to 800 ºC under

nitrogen at a flow rate of 60 mL.min-1. Heating rate was 10 ºC min-1.

Sample weights of TGA were approximately 4 mg in their original state.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

CONCLUSIONS

Nowadays, as PUs are used in so many applications and industrial

uses, they enter the municipal solid waste stream, usually by way of

discarded consumer and industrial products. These products frequently

are durable goods with a long lifespan such as upholstered furniture,

mattresses and automobile parts [6].

In a comparative study of disposal technology, Yang et al. (2012) [7]

have indicated that PU wastes, shattered into fritter or powder, can be

used as filler to join a new PU product. In this sense, in finding

opportunities to the outskirts where the industrial plant is located, the

PU foam wastes destination as fillers can be a proper and sustainable

alternative which can promote a financial return to the process.

REFERENCES

[1] Zia K.M., Bhatti H.N. and Bhatti I.A., (2007). Methods for polyurethane and polyurethane

composites, recycling and recovery: a review. Reactive & Functional Polymers, vol. 67, 675–

692.

[2] Bain & Company, (2014). Potencial de diversificação da indústria química Brasileira:

Relatório 4 – Poliuretanos e seus intermediários. B&C, Rio de Janeiro (RJ), p. 42.

[3] Lopes Silva D.A., Delai I., Castro M.A.S. and Ometto A.R., (2013). Quality tools applied to

Cleaner Production programs: a first approach toward a new methodology. Journal of Cleaner

Production, vol. 47, 174-187.

[4] Vendrametto O., Palmeri N., Neto G.C.O. and Perretti O., (2010). Cleaner production: a

growing movement in Brazilian Companies, Revista Produção, vol. X, n. I, 49-70.

[5] Saha M.C, Kabir Md.E and Jeelani S. (2008). Enhacement in thermal and mechanical

properties of polyurethane foam infused with nanoparticles. Materials Science and Engineering

A, vol. 479, 213-222.

[6] Nikje M.M.A., Garmarudi A.B. and Azni B. (2011). Polyurethane waste reduction and

recycling: from bench to pilot scales. Designed monomers and polymers, vol. 14, n. 5, 395-421.

[7] Yang W., Dong Q., Liu S., Xie H., Liu L. and Li J., (2012). Recycling and disposal methods for

polyurethane foam wastes. Procedia Environmental Sciences, vol. 16, 167–175.

An average value equal to 19.44 g of waste per linear meter of product

was obtained in 2014 and it shows a downward trend that can be a

result of: a) the monitoring conducted in 2013; and b) the

implementation of the action plan to improve the process efficiency and

some steps of the CPP which involves:

Top management commitment Employee engagement

Organizing a CP team Presentation of the CP methodology

Company pre-assessment Data collection Definition of

performance indicators Data evaluation and Identification of

options of improvement [3].

PU foam wastes generated in the injection molding process are a

result of poor balance of expansion / gelification of foam in the injection

step, or caused by a failure in the mold surface conditioning.

Some correlation was observed between the results for Compression

Set vs. Elongation at Rupture and Tensile Strenght vs. Elongation at

Rupture. Thermal degradation at high temperatures is an inevitable

event and it can be a significant limitation to their applications [5].

Management in a Polyurethane Foam Industry designed

to meet the automotive sector: a Brazilian study case

Samuel R. Castro* & Gilson L. Carvalho** * Center for Innovation and Technology SENAI – campus CETEC / SENAI Institute of Technology in Environment

** UNA University Center – campus RAJA

Belo Horizonte / Minas Gerais - Brazil

15th INTERNATIONAL WASTE MANAGEMENT

AND LANDFILL SIMPOSIUM

Compression

Set (%)

Dry

Heat

(%)

Dry

Dump

(%)

Tensile

Strength

(N/m2)

Elongation

at Rupture

(%)

Tear

Strenght

(N/m2)

Ash

Content

(%)

Load

Deflection-

Thickness

Loss (mm)

Load

Deflection -

Stiffness

Loss (%)

Mean 9.5372 -0.4214 -5.9081 15.8994 120.1111 2.7558 0.1767 1.1417 12.8867

StdDv 1.0551 5.1195 13.6817 2.5890 11.6516 3.4331 0.1410 0.3669 6.7104

Asymetry -0.2929 1.9394 0.5694 0.0652 -0.3742 5.9698 1.5418 0.2760 0.7094

Min 7.46 -5.99 -19.66 11.46 92 2 0.05 0.62 4.18

Max 10.99 14.23 14.8 21.26 140 22.75 0.46 1.81 24.37

N 36 36 36 36 36 36 12 12 12

Table 1: Descriptive statistics obtained by the results of physico-chemical analyses.

Figure 2: Time series of PU foam wastes generation.

00

20

40

60

80

100

0.0

5.0

10.0

15.0

20.0

25.0

Cu

mu

lati

ve

Fre

qu

ency

(%

)

PU

fo

am

wa

ste

(gra

mes

of

was

te /

lin

ear

met

er o

f p

rodu

ct)

PU foam waste General Average = 21.05 g/m

2014 Average = 19.44 g/m Cumulative frequency

Figure 1: Moulded PU process.

0

20

40

60

80

100

0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800

Weig

ht

Lo

ss (

%)

Temperature (ºC)

T5% = 241.89 oC

T50% = 366.69 oC

Figure 3: TGA – PU foam wastes