8. Conclusion
Significant quantities of composite waste (production waste or end-of-life parts) are still landfilled or simply incinerated, and their volume is likely to increase in the years to come. Glass/resin composites (mainly unsaturated polyester) are in the majority, with carbon/resin composites (mainly epoxy) remaining in the minority and composites reinforced with other types of fiber (aramid, vegetable) very marginal. Thermoset polymer matrices (65% of composites by volume) remain the most critical.
Various recycling solutions leading to material or mixed material/energy recovery have been developed over the past two decades, at laboratory, pre-industrial demonstrator or industrial pilot scale. Mechanical, thermal and chemical processing methods have been explored in parallel. All these solutions still have potential for improvement and optimization, and a great deal...
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Conclusion
Bibliography
Websites
Waste management, Elsevier http://www.elsevier.com
Waste management & research, Sage http://www.sagepub.com
Journal of material cycles and waste management, Springer http://www.springer.com
...Standards and norms
- Carbon fiber-reinforced plastics – Determination of dimensions and appearance ratio of ground objects - ISO/DIS 30012 -
Regulations
Council Directive 1999/31/EC of 26 April 1999 on the landfill of waste, Official Journal L 182 of 16/07/1999 p. 0001 – 0019
Directive 2000/76/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 December 2000 on the incineration of waste, Official Journal L 332, 28/12/2000 p. 0091 – 0111
Directive 2000/53/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 September 2000...
Directory
MCR (Plastic Omnium Group) Composites grinding
ERCOM Composite Recycling GmbH / ERCOM Fibertec GmbH Composite shredding Launched 1991. Closed in 2004
SCORI (TERIS subsidiary) 54, rue Pierre Curie Co-combustion in cement works
Economic data
Composite materials are traditionally much less recycled (5%) than their competitors (65-70% for steel and 30-35% for aluminum in North America, for example). Recycling has developed strongly in Japan (5 to 10 years ahead of Europe), and is now becoming a regulatory obligation in Europe, where it mainly concerns automotive and electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) waste. The corresponding value chain is illustrated at...
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