The topic of sustainability is currently one of the most important economic challenges for companies, including in the composites industry. Expectations of sustainable production and product solutions are becoming ever greater, both from a regulatory perspective and on the part of (end) customers, also in order to meet the requirements for recyclability. Due to their often very long service life alone, composite components have many advantages over shorter-lived materials. However, the raw materials used and the recycling options and routes at the end of the product’s useful life must also be included in a comprehensive assessment of sustainability. Companies are aware of the importance of this topic and many are working on developing innovative, more sustainable solutions. Within the AVK and the European umbrella organization (EuCIA), there are numerous activities relating to both sustainability and composites recycling (working group meetings, recycling study, LCA tool, ….).
This issue of the Composites Report presents ways to improve the use of resources in processing methods (keyword “resource-efficient lightweight construction”). You will also find articles on natural fiber-reinforced and bio-based sustainable materials. There are numerous technical options for recycling in particular: the magazine presents solutions for recycling natural fiber materials, carbon fiber recycling and the topic of life cycle assessment. With these contributions, AVK supports the spread of sustainable solutions in the composites industry and thus the future viability of our materials.