No abstract

The explosive growth of the global market for Carbon-Fiber-Reinforced Polymers (CFRP) and the lack of a closing loop strategy of composite waste have raised environmental concerns. Circular economy studies, including Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Life Cycle Costing (LCC), have investigated composite recycling and new bio-based materials to substitute both carbon fibers and matrices. However, few studies have addressed composite repair. Studies focused on bio-based composites coupled with recycling and repairing are also lacking. Within this framework, the paper aims at presenting opportunities and challenges of the new thermosetting composite developed at the laboratory including the criteria of repairing, recycling, and use of bio-based materials in industrial applications through an ex ante LCA coupled with LCC. Implementing the three criteria mentioned above would reduce the environmental impact from 50% to 86% compared to the baseline scenario with the highest benefits obtained by implementing the only repairing. LCC results indicate that manufacturing and repairing parts built from bio-based CFRP is economically sustainable. However, recycling can only be economically sustainable under a specific condition. Managerial strategies are proposed to mitigate the uncertainties of the recycling business. The findings of this study can provide valuable guidance on supporting decisions for companies making strategic plans.

The growing use of composites in various industries such as aerospace, automotive and wind turbine has increased environmental concerns regarding their waste disposal methods. Deploying circular economy practices to reuse composites could play a crucial role in the future. In this regard, this chapter addresses the development and implementation of new business models for composites re-use, as fundamental enabler for the industrial exploitation and diffusion of technological and methodological innovations developed in the FiberEUse project. Seven products were chosen as representatives for composites reuse application in four industrial sectors: sanitary, sports equipment, furniture and automotive. Re-use business models are presented describing their value proposition, with particular reference to the provision of advanced product-service bundles, the revenue models (including schemes such as leasing), as well as new supply chain configurations entailing new partnership between producers and recyclers to access post-use composites to re-use. Given the importance of reverse supply networks, the potential reverse logistics pathways for mechanical recycling of Glass Fiber Reinforced Plastic (GFRP), thermal recycling of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic (CFRP) and remanufacturing of CF composites waste in Europe for 2020 and 2050 have been investigated. We concluded that the optimal reverse logistics network needs to be decentralized in more than one country in Europe. Therefore, it is suggested that policy makers address regulation to allow the transportation of waste between European countries to facilitate the development of recycling networks for composites reuse.