Technology
August 5, 2022
CertiPUR-US® Announcement
Effective November 23, 2023, CertiPUR-US® Will Add Stannous Octoate to
List of Prohibited Substances in Foams Submitted for Certification
(Rochester Hills, Mich. – August 5, 2022) Effective November 23, 2023, the CertiPUR-US® foam certification program
will not certify foams submitted for certification that contain stannous octoate (CAS: 301-10-0), a tin catalyst that can
be used in the production of flexible polyurethane foam.
The trigger for the change was the recent reclassification of 2-ethylhexanoic acid (CAS: 149-57-5) and most of its salts,
including stannous octoate, to a Reprotoxic 1B with hazard statement H360D (“may damage the unborn child”) by the
European Commission, following an opinion from the Risk Assessment Committee of the European Chemicals Agency
(ECHA), an agency of the European Union managing the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of
Chemicals (REACH).
“Substances which are classified as ‘may cause cancer,’ ‘may cause genetic defects’ or ‘may damage fertility or the
unborn child’ are prohibited in CertiPUR-US certified foam,” said CertiPUR-US Executive Director Michael Crowell.
“Now that 2-ethylhexanoic acid and particular salts, like stannous octoate, have been classified under the Reprotoxic 1B
substances guideline, it will be prohibited from foams certified through the CertiPUR-US program.”
The effective date of November 23, 2023 is based on the European Union’s harmonized classification practices to allow
the industry to reformulate foams with alternative chemicals, a process that often requires significant changes in
purchasing, operations and production.
Based on a particular foam’s certification renewal date, some participating foam producers would be faced with making
the transition in 12 months while others would have more time. Crowell said the program would be flexible and fair —
but also transparent about the transition periods.
The CertiPUR-US program’s criteria for certification were established in 2008 based on REACH and other chemical
regulatory agencies, with guidance from chemists, environmental scientists and toxicologists, in conjunction with the
leadership of the foam, mattress and upholstered furniture industries. Certified foams are used in the production of
cushioning for home furnishings such as mattresses, pillows and upholstered furniture.
According to Crowell, the Technical Guidelines that detail criteria for certification have been updated numerous times
in the history of the organization. “Vigilant monitoring of chemical assessments and transparency are essential to
earning and maintaining consumer confidence in the integrity of the CertiPUR-US program,” he said.
More than 90 flexible polyurethane foam manufacturers from 18 countries currently certify more than 200 different
foam formulations through the CertiPUR-US program which is administered by the nonprofit Alliance for Flexible
Polyurethane Foam, Inc.
For more information, email info@certipur.us.
#
www.certipur.us
August 5, 2022
CertiPUR-US® Announcement
Effective November 23, 2023, CertiPUR-US® Will Add Stannous Octoate to
List of Prohibited Substances in Foams Submitted for Certification
(Rochester Hills, Mich. – August 5, 2022) Effective November 23, 2023, the CertiPUR-US® foam certification program
will not certify foams submitted for certification that contain stannous octoate (CAS: 301-10-0), a tin catalyst that can
be used in the production of flexible polyurethane foam.
The trigger for the change was the recent reclassification of 2-ethylhexanoic acid (CAS: 149-57-5) and most of its salts,
including stannous octoate, to a Reprotoxic 1B with hazard statement H360D (“may damage the unborn child”) by the
European Commission, following an opinion from the Risk Assessment Committee of the European Chemicals Agency
(ECHA), an agency of the European Union managing the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of
Chemicals (REACH).
“Substances which are classified as ‘may cause cancer,’ ‘may cause genetic defects’ or ‘may damage fertility or the
unborn child’ are prohibited in CertiPUR-US certified foam,” said CertiPUR-US Executive Director Michael Crowell.
“Now that 2-ethylhexanoic acid and particular salts, like stannous octoate, have been classified under the Reprotoxic 1B
substances guideline, it will be prohibited from foams certified through the CertiPUR-US program.”
The effective date of November 23, 2023 is based on the European Union’s harmonized classification practices to allow
the industry to reformulate foams with alternative chemicals, a process that often requires significant changes in
purchasing, operations and production.
Based on a particular foam’s certification renewal date, some participating foam producers would be faced with making
the transition in 12 months while others would have more time. Crowell said the program would be flexible and fair —
but also transparent about the transition periods.
The CertiPUR-US program’s criteria for certification were established in 2008 based on REACH and other chemical
regulatory agencies, with guidance from chemists, environmental scientists and toxicologists, in conjunction with the
leadership of the foam, mattress and upholstered furniture industries. Certified foams are used in the production of
cushioning for home furnishings such as mattresses, pillows and upholstered furniture.
According to Crowell, the Technical Guidelines that detail criteria for certification have been updated numerous times
in the history of the organization. “Vigilant monitoring of chemical assessments and transparency are essential to
earning and maintaining consumer confidence in the integrity of the CertiPUR-US program,” he said.
More than 90 flexible polyurethane foam manufacturers from 18 countries currently certify more than 200 different
foam formulations through the CertiPUR-US program which is administered by the nonprofit Alliance for Flexible
Polyurethane Foam, Inc.
For more information, email info@certipur.us.
#
www.certipur.us
July 14, 2022
Foamed Hytrel
Dupont Rolls Out Recyclable Hytrel Foam for Footwear, Furniture
DuPont Mobility & Materials announced the commercial availability of new closed-cell Hytrel foam created via a supercritical fluid (SCF) foaming process.
While a wide range of applications can benefit from the greater shock absorption and durability of new Hytrel foam, manufacturers of footwear, sporting goods, consumer goods, furniture, and wire and cable jacketing are expected to be early adopters of the new solution.
This fully recyclable material is the first foamed product in the Hytrel product family. It not only reduces environmental impact, but customers have also confirmed that it delivers up to 15 percent greater resilience and 20 percent less weight than thermoplastic urethane (TPU, E-TPU), polyurethane (PU) and ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) foams, the company said.
“It’s no secret that brand owners such as Newton Running Company are looking for more sustainable materials and production methods to counter climate change,” said Hilary Wang, marketing manager at DuPont Mobility & Materials.
A close-up of Hytrel foam shows its closed cell structure.
These companies are also actively seeking a more sustainable process than chemical foaming, which is being restricted or even phased out in some countries, Wang noted. Unlike foamed materials that rely on chemical foaming agents, new Hytrel foam is produced using CO2 and N2 gases, which are found in the time-tested, proven SCF process, according to DuPont Mobility & Materials.
This process offers three benefits–no residues from chemical foaming agents in the final products, no volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are emitted so global warming potential is reduced, there are no odors or allergens present and the resulting foam is skin-contact compatible.
DuPont Mobility & Materials will showcase new Hytrel foam and other cutting-edge solutions and technology innovations at the upcoming K 2022 trade fair for the plastics and rubber industry. This international event, held once every three years, takes place Oct. 19-26 in Düsseldorf, Germany.
DuPont Mobility & Materials delivers a broad range of technology-based products and solutions to the automotive, electronics, industrial, consumer, medical, photovoltaic and telecom markets.
July 14, 2022
Foamed Hytrel
Dupont Rolls Out Recyclable Hytrel Foam for Footwear, Furniture
DuPont Mobility & Materials announced the commercial availability of new closed-cell Hytrel foam created via a supercritical fluid (SCF) foaming process.
While a wide range of applications can benefit from the greater shock absorption and durability of new Hytrel foam, manufacturers of footwear, sporting goods, consumer goods, furniture, and wire and cable jacketing are expected to be early adopters of the new solution.
This fully recyclable material is the first foamed product in the Hytrel product family. It not only reduces environmental impact, but customers have also confirmed that it delivers up to 15 percent greater resilience and 20 percent less weight than thermoplastic urethane (TPU, E-TPU), polyurethane (PU) and ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) foams, the company said.
“It’s no secret that brand owners such as Newton Running Company are looking for more sustainable materials and production methods to counter climate change,” said Hilary Wang, marketing manager at DuPont Mobility & Materials.
A close-up of Hytrel foam shows its closed cell structure.
These companies are also actively seeking a more sustainable process than chemical foaming, which is being restricted or even phased out in some countries, Wang noted. Unlike foamed materials that rely on chemical foaming agents, new Hytrel foam is produced using CO2 and N2 gases, which are found in the time-tested, proven SCF process, according to DuPont Mobility & Materials.
This process offers three benefits–no residues from chemical foaming agents in the final products, no volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are emitted so global warming potential is reduced, there are no odors or allergens present and the resulting foam is skin-contact compatible.
DuPont Mobility & Materials will showcase new Hytrel foam and other cutting-edge solutions and technology innovations at the upcoming K 2022 trade fair for the plastics and rubber industry. This international event, held once every three years, takes place Oct. 19-26 in Düsseldorf, Germany.
DuPont Mobility & Materials delivers a broad range of technology-based products and solutions to the automotive, electronics, industrial, consumer, medical, photovoltaic and telecom markets.
June 23, 2022
Black Mass Recycling Technology
BASF to build battery recycling facility in Brandenburg
BASFBatteriesbattery cellsBrandenburgGermanyRecyclingResourcesSchwarzheidesuppliers
BASF will build a plant for recycling black mass from batteries on an industrial scale in Schwarzheide, Brandenburg – where BASF’s pilot recycling plant is also located. Commissioning of the large plant is planned for early 2024.
The annual processing capacity is to be 15,000 tonnes – old electric car batteries and material that does not meet production specifications will be recycled. The latter can come from the immediate vicinity: As is well known, BASF is also building its German factory for cathode materials in Schwarzheide. Scrap and offcuts can therefore be reprocessed directly on site.
In the press release, the company describes the site as “ideal for the development of battery recycling activities”. Not only because of its own production on site, but “because there are many manufacturers of electric cars and cell producers in Central Europe”. The plant is expected to create about 30 jobs. The company does not specify the amount of the investment.
The so-called ‘black mass’ is produced in the first phase of battery recycling. After the mechanical treatment of the battery (i.e. dismantling and crushing), components such as plastics and aluminium can already be filtered out. What remains is the black mass, which contains large quantities of the battery’s active materials – such as lithium, nickel, cobalt and manganese. To separate this mass back into the individual materials (which are then used to produce new cathodes), water and chemicals are used in the hydrometallurgical process.
“With this investment in a commercial scale battery recycling black mass plant, we take the next step to establish the full battery recycling value chain at BASF. This allows us to optimize the end-to-end recycling process and reduce the CO2 footprint,” says Peter Schuhmacher, head of BASF’s Catalysts division. “The closed loop from end-of-life batteries to CAM for new batteries, supports our customers along the entire battery value chain, reduces the dependency from mined raw materials and enables a circular economy.”
The groundbreaking for cathode material production in Schwarzheide took place in November 2020. About a month later, the group confirmed it would also build the recycling pilot plant on site. At the pilot plant, which is scheduled to come on stream this year, BASF aims to optimise operating procedures to achieve higher recovery of lithium, nickel, cobalt and manganese from spent lithium-ion batteries.
https://www.electrive.com/2022/06/21/basf-to-build-battery-recycling-facility-in-brandenburg/
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