Tempura leftovers can be repurposed.
But glass-fibre reinforced plastics, used for boats, cars and wind turbines, have always been trickier to recycle. Until now.
A Swiss-based startup cuts pieces into 1.5 x 2 metre units, before separating the glass-fibre structures from the resin in their oxygen-free reactor.
By applying heat the resin is converted into gas. Some of it is used to power the reactor and the rest subsequently condensed into re-usable oil.
In a second, patent-pending step the glass fibre mats are freed from carbon residue, paving the way for their re-use. The recycling system fits into a 30-feet long container that can be transported to waste storage sites.
There are also self-repairing composites and sustainable printed circuit boards.Â
