EBI highlights importance of cement co-processing for recycling boats
Horizontal composition cold colors photography of exterior of factory, industrial building at water’s edge and at twilight time of the day, blue hour, with dark blue clear sky with copy space. This is a cement factory, concrete industry manufacturing. This picture was taken in Montalieu-Vercieu town, in Isere, in Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes region in France (Europe), along the Rhone river.
EBI, together with six other industry associations working on increasing the circularity of composite materials, have published a statement highlighting the important role cement co-processing can play in treating end-of-life composite materials.
EuCIA, the European Composites Industry Association, estimates that 40-70 per cent of the end-of-life composite materials today still end up in landfills or are incinerated without energy recovery.
Observers have described the issue of end-of-life boats as a ‘hot potato’ people pass around.
Co-processing involves a combination of mechanical and thermal recycling, where composites are shredded into pieces and fed into a cement kiln at high temperatures of up to 1,800C. At these temperatures, fibres are converted into ashes, while resin is converted into organic matter that feeds the kiln.
EBI’s position has been developed and cosigned by WindEurope, EuCIA, CEMBUREAU, EBI, Cefic UP/VE, Cefic Epoxy Europe and Glass Fibre Europe.
“Together, our associations call on policymakers to recognise these benefits and facilitate the upscaling of co-processing with a more supportive EU regulatory framework,” the statement reads. “The European Commission and the national authorities should recognise cement co-processing as a recycling process to allow the EU to foster industry growth and ensure a circular future for both the cement and composite material sectors.
“Composite materials, a combination of reinforced fibres (usually glass or carbon fibres) and a polymer matrix, are known for their durability, exceptional chemical and heat resistance properties. They are therefore extensively used across various sectors including wind, marine, infrastructure, and industrial markets.
“Whilst their durability is a great advantage during their operational lifetime, recycling end-of-life composite materials has been technically challenging due to the difficulty of separating the constituent fibres and polymers.
“Cement co-processing offers a sustainable and circular solution to this challenge. Co-processing allows for the comprehensive recycling of end-of-life composite materials with glass fibres, while simultaneously mitigating climate change through the reduction of natural raw materials in cement manufacturing and the replacement of fossil energy sources.”
The seven associations are further collaborating to promote sustainable recycling approaches for end-of-life composite materials, with more actions planned in the coming months.
The joint position paper continues EBI’s focus on advancing a sustainable approach to recycling of end-of-life boats. It contributes to the implementation of the “European Roadmap on the implementation of the circular economy for end-of-life recreational boats”, published in March 2023. Through the Roadmap, EBI says it has committed itself to phase unsustainable recycling technologies by 2030.
In 2022, MIN reported that the National Composites Centre has launched a Blue Composites Project in an effort to address the growing challenge of decarbonisation and recycling of composite materials in the marine industry. It aims to create the UK’s first glass fibre composites ‘recycling and re-use’ facility of its kind.
