How Polyurethane Is Eco-friendly?

As the United States and other countries make their way toward becoming more eco-friendly by removing plastics and limiting their waste, the question becomes: ”What product is taking its place?”

Paper and recyclable materials have appeared on the scene, but polyurethane is the best eco-friendly alternative.

How Is Polyurethane Eco-Friendly?

Stated by a polyurethane manufacturer, polyurethane is made from natural materials like oil, gas, and coal. It’s created through a chemical reaction between a polyol, a catalyst, and a polymeric isocyanate. This reaction makes polyurethane incredibly versatile for an assortment of uses—without harming the environment.

Does Not Contain Chemicals

A major advantage of polyurethane is that it doesn’t contain chemicals that harm the endocrine system.

It also doesn’t alter the pH levels of soil or water, leaving no effect on the planet. None of its byproducts contaminates water (unlike plastic, which can poison our water supply). Polyurethane also doesn’t seep into and corrode healthy soil.

Using polyurethane as a manufacturing solution will help humans, animals, and the planet as a whole.

Reduces The Amount Of Material Waste

Since many industries are moving toward 3D printing, especially for polyurethane products, using polyurethane limits waste. There is no “extra” material produced that needs to be thrown out or is deemed unusable. 

To paint a better picture, imagine the cookie-making process.

You roll out the dough and use your cookie cutter to make all the shapes you want, but there is always leftover material. This material can be rolled back up, flattened, and used again to make more cookies—and so on—until you use all the cookie dough.

A similar process also applies to polyurethane—the extra parts can be melted down to use in liquid form or to create a new product altogether.

Lasts Longer Than Alternatives

Polyurethane can last upwards of 25 years. That might not sound like an eco-friendly benefit when you imagine it sitting in a landfill somewhere, but it means it doesn’t have to be replaced or discarded as often as other materials, like plastic or rubber.

A long-lasting material is helpful to businesses and the environment because parts won’t need to be discarded and replaced as often.

It Can Be Recycled

There are many ways polyurethane can be recycled and used for other purposes. 

While other polyurethane alternatives like plastic can be recycled, they’re a lot more difficult to rework.

Polyurethane can be recycled at job sites and in factories. Plastic, on the other hand, must be sent off-site—that’s an additional step for the person responsible.

Since polyurethane is such a versatile material, it can be recycled and used in many different ways. It can be ground down for use as flooring for an outdoor playground, melted down to create a new injection mould, or repurposed as carpet underlay. 

If you’re unable to recycle it, polyurethane can be used as an efficient heat source, just like coal.

Polyurethane: The Eco-Friendly Material

Polyurethane is eco-friendly in numerous ways. It does not contain chemicals, it is reusable, and it has limited waste, among other things.

If you or your business are focused on saving the planet, adopting the use of polyurethane in place of other alternatives like plastic or rubber can make a real difference for the environment—and your bottom line.

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