In September 2024 the EPTA-Board took the decision to start a project on “Shredding on Pultruded Parts”.
Pultruded components are already successfully used in many application areas and their use is expected to increase in the future. As with the use of all other construction materials, sustainability is becoming an increasingly important factor in this context. Due to their long service life, the possibility of long maintenance intervals and numerous other positive properties, such as high corrosion resistance, pultruded components already have numerous advantages in this area.
Nevertheless, the pultrusion industry must also address the question of what can happen to the components after the first life cycle and how the materials can be recycled as advantageous as possible.
Currently, at the end of the use phase, a shredding step is needed for recycling in both open and closed loops. Pultruded components face particular challenges here. They have the highest reinforcement contents in the composites industry, causing additional wear in shredding equipment.
The now launched EPTA shredding project aims to gather information and organize practical tests in order to support our members, and their customers, with the best and cost effective technical solutions to prepare highly reinforced pultruded profiles for recycling at the end of use phase.
On the 19th of November 2024 a first Experience Workshop on “Size reduction of pultruded parts” took place in Frankfurt. The aim of the workshop was to present existing solutions and to exchange practical experiences.
The event highlighted the need to implement a project with a special focus on pultruded components (high glass content). The companies Exel Composites, Fibrolux and TopGlass reported on practical experiences in their own companies. Beneath Malcolm Forsyth of Composites UK reported on the recent UK learnings on the challenges with downsizing Composites waste for recycling processes. Ms. Esthel Osso) of MTB Group informs about “Shredding of complex waste streams containing composite materials”
The speakers highlighted some key areas as central problem areas. In the further course of the project, these identified challenges will be worked on in individual work packages. The project is scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2026. We will report regularly on the progress of the project in the future.