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Recycled Mattress Foam as Residential Insulation: Thermal Performance and Fire-Retardant Development
Doug Kean, Program Manager for Recycling, Bridging the Gap, Inc.
This paper investigates the feasibility of converting post-consumer mattress polyurethane foam into residential thermal-insulation blocks.
Recycling this foam is important because discarded mattresses are bulky, difficult to compact, and consume substantial landfill space. Further, the carpet cushion market that has over the years absorbed the bulk of scrap FPF is a mature one, and alternative uses for this material should be explored.
Reusing mattress foam as insulation may address two needs simultaneously: reducing a difficult solid-waste stream and improving energy efficiency in homes. Converting the recovered foam into a durable building product may also create a higher-value end use, supporting a circular economy in which materials remain productive for longer periods.
The study examines post-consumer FPF shredded and rebonded using a binder. Observations are being made concerning material recovery, cleaning and preparation, block fabrication, dimensional consistency, installation potential, and thermal performance. The proposed block measures 3.5 inches by 14.5 inches by 48 inches, dimensions selected to fit common wall-framing cavities.
The thermal conductivity of the material (often termed the “K factor”) is 0.0.03458 watts per meter Kelvin (W/m·K). This is comfortably within the thermal conductivity range for preferred home insulation materials of 0.02 to 0.04 W/m·K. The 3.5 inch block being investigated achieves a thermal resistance (“R factor”) of R-14.76. The U.S. Department of Energy Star program deems this value appropriate for wall cavities.
Because foam-based insulation must also satisfy building-safety requirements, ongoing work focuses on developing and evaluating a fire-retardant treatment.
Future testing will assess flame spread, smoke development, treatment durability, moisture response, and whether fire-retardant additives affect thermal resistance or material stability.
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