Help Recycle Thermoset Polyurethane

We mill dental models from a polyurethane block. We have been doing this since April of 09. We now have 5 Haas milling machines running 24 hrs. producing models but also producing 3000 lbs. of plastic shavings per month. We though the material could be recycled but found out it is thermoset material. We have accumulated over 30,000 lbs. and may have to send to the landfill which I am not wanting to do. Looking for a way to reuse this material even if it’s as a filler for something. Any suggestion or possibility the U of I Department of Physics could figure out how to use this product usefully? www.raglelab.com
- Jerry Ragle (age 54)
Champaign

Jerry- This is an important question, but not right down our alley. I'm putting it up because maybe another reader will have a good idea. I did Google "recycle thermoset polyurethane" and found that there are ways that it's done. It looks as if at least one company does it in the US, but I don't know what the costs are of getting the material to them and what they would pay for it. Here's the most relevant-looking of many links:

Mike W.

(published on 02/10/2011)