Understanding Composites: Demonstrating the need to support high value composite treatment routes

Composites create light and durable components that have no high-value end‑of-life prospects. Because of their inherent characteristics of strength and light weight, composites have increasingly become the material of choice for many sectors across the globe.  Composite materials have become the favoured solution to tackle the challenge of light-weighting in the transportation industry – with the goal of reducing carbon emissions and supporting the sustainability of the sector.  The material often has a low energy demand in comparison to metals with similar durability characteristics and aids in developing lighter products that reduce fuel consumption either in-use or when in transit for delivery.

But the most significant disadvantage to the use of composites is the limited options for their recovery and recycling – with the consequence that the majority of composites are currently landfilled.

Some EU Member States as well as the United Kingdom have imposed landfill taxes to discourage the landfilling of composites, while others such as Germany have put a stop to landfilling by imposing bans. Meanwhile France is looking at producer responsibility legislations on these materials, driving businesses to think differently about how composites are used and where these materials ends up.

This report, as part of the ECOBULK project, outlines the current state of play in the industry, an overview of composite recycling and how we can move forward in the treatment of end-of-life composites.