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Environmental Concerns of Polyurethane Foam

Polyurethane foam is used for a variety of things, from sealing to cushioning. Although this is a useful material, there are environmental concerns surrounding the use of polyurethane. There are many chemical byproducts of the polyurethane production process, and some of these chemicals can pose a threat to human health and can deplete the ozone layer. Biodegradability and recycling are also big environmental concerns, but advancement in the field of recycling has made it possible to properly recycle polyurethane.

  1. Byproducts

    • The byproducts produced by polyurethane are a big concern to environmentalists. These chemicals include phosgene, isocyanates, toluene, diamines and methylene chloride. The burning of polyurethane releases many dangerous chemicals like isocyanates, carbon dioxide, hydrogen cyanide, PAHs and dioxins. These chemicals can be environmentally damaging (leaking into water soil) and in some cases could pose a threat to human health. The methylene chloride and CFCs polyurethane produces are ozone depleting gases, which are a considerable concern for environmentalists.

    CFCs

    • CFCs, or chlorofluorocarbons, are a byproduct of polyurethane production and are released when the material is burned. CFCs are very harmful to the atmosphere, and are a big reason why some people are against the use of anything that produces them. CFCs are made from various carbon, fluorine and chlorine atoms; they have various industrial, commercial and household uses and are commonly found in aerosol propellants, refrigerators and foam materials like polyurethane.

    Ozone Depletion

    • Ozone depletion one of the big cases against the use of polyurethane foam and other components that contain polyurethane. The CFCs and methylene chloride produced are very damaging to the ozone layer. Although it was suspected that CFCs and other gases were playing a role in ozone depletion for quite some time, there wasn't concrete evidence of this until 1984. After a study was completed in 1985 about ozone depletion over the Arctic, it was suggested that we slow down, or completely cease, the production of any CFC-emitting product and other ozone depleting gases because of the damaging effects they have on the planet's ozone.

    Recycling and Biodegradability

    • Polyurethane takes a long time to properly biodegrade (hundreds or thousands of years) and when it biodegrades it releases harmful byproducts into the environment. For a long time polyuerthane was notoriously non-recyclable, but people in the industry are working to change that. There are now many different ways to recycle polyurethane. Regrinding is a way of recycling -- polyurethane foam is grounded into powder to be used for new foam. Reconstituted foam can be used in athletic mats and carpet underlaying. There are other more complex methods of recycling polyurethane by breaking it down into its basic chemical forms. Although biodegradability is still a major concern, recycling methods have advanced to make the material able to be recycled properly.

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