Ökológia - környezettudatos anyagok

Recycling

For more than 30 years, puren-Schaumstoff GmbH developed and improved its recycling of PUR rigid foams. In 1997 they have been awarded the "2nd. European Recycling Award".

Within the puren group of companies, today there are two different technologies of recycling PUR: Gglycolysis and the adhesive pressing process. In glycolysis, a new raw material is created from waste used for the production of PUR rigid foam. Thus, you save on expensive raw materials. In the adhesive pressing process, waste from PUR production is pressed into purenit boards, which have proven themselves as wood replacement materials on the market for almost 30 years.

Ecology - ecological balance

A product is ecologically assessed throughout its "life cycle", i.e. from production through use up to disposal or re-use all pertinent criteria are taken into account. To calculate the energy balance of puren insulation systems made of PUR rigid foam, the followings information is needed:

1. Energy input for production and transport of insulating panels to their building site
2. Energy saving during their utilization phase
3. Energy recouped from incineration during disposal or energy input for recycling.

According to a calcualtion by the Industrial Association for Polyurethane Rigid Foam (IVPU) in Stuttgart, PUR rigid foam has the following energy balance:

Energy consumed:

830 kWh are needed to produce 1 m3 PUR. PUR is produced from oil and/or natural materials such as maize, potatoes, etc. A CFC- and HCFC-propellant makes it blow. Note: Only 4 % of the total annual oil consumption goes into plastics production. On the other hand, 70 % is consumed as heating oil. Therefore, you can hardly imagine a more intelligent use of oil to "save oil".

 

Energy gained:

For an average building, used over 50 years and equipped with an 11 cm PUR roof insulation on the rafters you save approx. 65,522 kWh per m3 PUR compared to a roof with minimum insulation. In modern waste incineration power plants approx. 213 kWh of energy is gained from 1 m3 PUR.

Over a total of 50 years, you will have gained approx. 65,000 kWh per m3 PUR.