JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #87 - March 2014 Special JEC Europe - 86

sustainability
Facts about composites recycling

Composites are recyclable

Recycling through co-processing in cement kilns has been technically and commercially demonstrated.
Today, companies are setting up logistics and supply chains for ensuring, proper handling of regrind and quality consistency
of cement manufacturing. Therefore, recycling through co-processing in cement kilns is increasingly used for managing
composite regrind because of its technological potential, environmental benefits and cost effectiveness.

Thermoset composites cannot be easily
converted into their original raw materials

Composite materials are designed to provide mechanical strength. chemical resistance and durability.
Consequently, by definition they cannot be easily reconverted into their original raw materials.

Composites can contribute significantly
to the reduction of Eco-footprint and C02
emissions

Composite components tend to have a better Eco-footprint compared to their equivalent in traditional materials like steel
or aluminium. Reduced emissions through lower weight in transportation, easier installation and reduced maintenance in
construction, and continuity of operation in industrial applications all contribute to this great performance. Alter their useful
life saving energy and helping to reduce Eco-footprint in many applications. composite regrind can reduce eco-footprint and
C02 emissions of cement manufacturing.

Co-processing in cement kilns is
clearly different from incineration

Co-processing glass fibre thermoset composites regrind allows the inorganic fraction to act
as valuable raw material, while the organic fraction acts as efficient fuel for the calcination process.
In the incineration of composite regrind, the inorganic fraction is not reused, and therefore incineration cannot
be considered recycling. In addition the heat generated in incineration cannot be used as efficiently to reduce the
amount of fuel required.

Composite recycling through
co-processing in cement kilns is
compliant with the EU legislation

Recycling through eo-processing in cement kilns is fully complient with the European Waste Framework Directive (WfD)
2008/98/EC providing viable waste management route for the composites industry. eo-processing is both recycling and
energy recovery.

Reduced carbon footprint
In the cement manufacturing process,
several raw material fractions are combined
with energy sources and heated up to
1450°C to produce cement clinker. The
clinker consists of four basic oxides in a
specific proportion: calcium oxide, silicon
oxide or silica, aluminium oxide and iron
oxide.
Glass fibre thermoset regrind is an alternative resource for clinker manufacturing as
the mineral composition of the regrind
consists of a significant amount of calcium
oxide and silica. Additionally, the organic
fraction supplies energy for the reaction
heat, right at the spot where it is needed.

Collaboration in the value chain

line. As part of the project, the LCA experts
of DSM and Holcim performed a detailed
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) on the cement clinker manufacturing process. This
analysis used the LCA model designed
in collaboration with the Swiss Federal
Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zürich,
Switzerland.
It was confirmed that the use of glass fibre
reinforced composite regrind in co-processing results in a significant reduction of
the CO2 emission of the clinker manufacturing process. Depending on the quantity
of the composite regrind included and
the specific cement plant technology, the
reduction can be as high as 16%.
This conclusion will have a strong and posi-

By the very nature of the cement manufacturing process, a fair amount of CO2 is
generated. The cement industry has made
significant steps to improve its sustainability and carbon footprint by replacing
traditional fuels such as oil, gas and coal
with alternative fuels in clinker production.
Several players in the composite value
chain joined forces to further promote
the recycling of composites through coprocessing. For this purpose, DSM led a
project team for the EuCIA Recycling and
Sustainability Platform in 2012, together
with Holcim/Geocycle, Zajons and Fiber-

CO2 footprint reduction with composite
regrind, in comparison to coal [1]

86 jec composites magazine / No87 March 2014

tive influence on the increased acceptance
and future use of composite materials. Providing reliable end-of-life solutions is vital
for the future growth of composites, and
the parties' leading role in this project illustrates their commitment to the industry.

Remarkable progress in
composites recycling
In the past few years, there has been a
steady growth of the use of co-processing
for the recycling of glass reinforced
composites. The Zajons company, located
in Melbeck, Germany, operates a special
recycling plant for fibre reinforced plastic
waste and processes wind turbine blades,
pultrusion profiles and miscellaneous composite components into regrind, mixing
them with other raw material streams for
consistency in composition and calorific
value. Zajons acts as the collection point for
composite parts from multiple sources in
Northern and Central Europe.
The resulting feedstock is transferred to
a nearby Holcim cement plant located in
Laegerdorf, Germany, for further processing into clinker. In 2012, the company
processed approximately
5,000 MT/year of regrind. In 2013, the volume has already increased to around 8,000
MT/year, which clearly is a remarkable
growth rate.
In order to have a consistent input and

JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #87 - March 2014 Special JEC Europe

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