【Special Topic Review】Breaking the 12 million tons of waste: The technological revolution and the new industry ecology of composite material recycling

When wind turbine blades are retired and landfilled, and car carbon fiber components become“Disposable waste”, the rapid development of the composites industry is facing a“Double-edged sword of high growth and high waste”. Data shows that by2025, global composite waste will exceed1200 million tons, with wind turbine blades and car components accounting for more than60%. Thermoset composites, in particular, account for75%  of the problem of recycling. Driven by the dual carbon goals and the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), composite recycling is no longer a“Environmental multiple choice question”, but a“Life-or-death question for the sustainable development of the industry”. This paper will focus on2022-2025 technological breakthroughs, combined with the practice of global benchmark enterprises, to decompose the core paths and future directions of composite recycling.

1. Industry pain points highlighted: Why is composite material recycling urgent?

Composites have been deeply integrated into strategic emerging industries such as wind power, new energy vehicles, and aerospace due to their lightweight, high-strength, and corrosion-resistant advantages. However, for a long time,“emphasizing production over recycling”has led to a large accumulation of waste, resulting in both resource waste and severe environmental pressure.

The wind power industry is the first to be affected, with the early wind turbine blades entering the peak period of decommissioning, and a single blade can weigh dozens of tons. Traditional landfill disposal not only occupies a large amount of land, but the difficulty in degrading glass fiber and resin also causes long-term environmental pollution. In the field of new energy vehicles, with the widespread use of carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) in body lightweighting, the annual growth rate of composite waste in the automotive industry is expected to reach 18% in the next 5 years. If there is a lack of effective recycling channels, it will form a new environmental burden.

The carbon leakage effect on the policy level is also significant. The EUCBAMhas officially come into effect, imposing strict requirements on the carbon footprint of imported products, and the recovery efficiency of composites directly affects the export competitiveness of related industries. China“double carbon”policy framework,the newly revised composite material recycling standard in2024was officially implemented, promoting the penetration rate of recycled materials in key fields to12%. In this context,“recycling-regeneration-high-value application”

2. Technological Innovation: From“Inefficient Treatment” to “High Value Recovery” Breakthrough

Composites recycling technology has evolved from the early rough handling to a pattern of parallel technologies such as mechanical recycling, chemical recycling, and energy recycling, with core breakthroughs focusing on two dimensions: efficiency improvement and performance preservation.

(i) Mechanical recovery: Large-scale application of“the cost-effective choice”

Mechanical recycling has become the mainstream method for recycling glass fiber composites due to its simple process and controllable cost. Its core logic is to achieve“crushing-sieving-reforming” closed-loop process to realize the resource utilization of waste.

Recent technological breakthroughs have focused on fiber damage control, and new crushing equipment has increased the length retention rate of glass fibers to70%by optimizing the speed and shear angle, significantly improving the mechanical properties of the regenerated materials. The technology has now been scaled up for application, with the processing cost reduced to200USD/ton, making it suitable for medium and low value scenarios such as building insulation materials and decorative panels.

Chinese companies have performed outstandingly in this field, with a60% share advantage in the non-continuous fiber market, forming a complete industry chain from waste collection to the production of regenerated products. GermanInfinici AG has even combined mechanical recycling with shape design, processing recycled glass fibers into high-performance non-wovens, which are used in parts such as bus shells and yacht interiors, with a carbon footprint reduction of 95% compared to raw materials.

(II) Chemical Recycling: The“Breakthrough Key” for Thermal Set Materials

account for 75% of the total waste of thermoset composites, which are difficult to degrade due to their three-dimensional cross-linked structure, has long limited the efficiency of recycling. Chemical recycling, by breaking the resin cross-links through solvent decomposition, pyrolysis, and other means, achieves efficient separation of fibers and resin, becoming the core direction for high-value回收.

The innovation focus of the solvent method lies in the development of low-toxic solvents, which have now achieved a resin removal rate of95%. Moreover, the solvent can be recycled, reducing environmental risks and costs. The breakthrough of the pyrolysis method is reflected in the optimization of the low-temperature process, by precisely controlling the pyrolysis temperature and atmosphere, the strength retention rate of carbon fiber exceeds85%, and some enterprises have even reached above90%.

2025Year10Month, Toray's released low-temperature decomposition technology has become the focus of the industry. This technology decomposes a variety of thermoset resins at temperatures lower than traditional processes through innovative decomposers, adapt to waste from multiple sources such as aviation, wind power, and automobiles, and the recovery of carbon fiber single filaments retains more than95%of the original strength, and the carbon emission is only half of the original carbon fiber. The recycled carbon fiber non-woven fabric developed based on this technology has been applied to the interior and exterior parts of Mazda's concept car, successfully entering the mid-to-high-end consumer scenarios.

Biological hydrolysis as a cutting-edge direction is in the transition stage from the laboratory to the pilot scale. By screening specific degrading enzymes, it is expected to achieve mild degradation of resins, further reducing the energy consumption and environmental impact of recycling, and preliminary breakthroughs have been achieved in the epoxy resin system.

(III) Energy Recycling and Technological Comparison: Adapting to Multiple Scenarios

Energy recovery is suitable for mixed waste that is difficult to separate, and it achieves energy reuse by generating electricity through incineration. In recent years, the focus has been on improving energy efficiency and pollution control levels, and the upgrading of tail gas treatment technology has reduced pollutant emissions to extremely low levels. However, this method can only achieve energy recovery and cannot retain the value of the material itself, making it more suitable for the treatment of low-value, difficult-to-recycle waste.

From a multi-dimensional comparison, mechanical recycling has the advantages of low cost and large scale, suitable for bulk waste materials such as glass fibers; although chemical recycling is more expensive, it can maximize the retention of fiber properties, suitable for high-value materials such as carbon fibers; energy recycling, as a supplementary solution, is used to handle complex mixed waste materials. The three forms complement each other and together constitute a technical system for the recycling of composite materials.

Three, Performance Regulation: The“Quality Upgrade Path”

The performance retention of recycled fibers and the quality control of regenerated composites are the core prerequisites for achieving high-value applications. The industry is cracking the pain points of "“performance decay”" of regenerated materials through three major paths: performance characterization, interface optimization, and standard establishment.

(1) Performance breakthrough of the regenerated enhanced phase

The key indicators for the recovery of carbon fiber are the preservation of strength and surface quality. Toyota'sRCFspinning technology has achieved that the mechanical properties of regenerated carbon fiber are comparable to those of original fibers. Toray's low-temperature decomposition technology further improves the strength preservation rate to95%with a low residue rate, laying a foundation for subsequent processing.

The recovery performance of glass fiber is significantly affected by the length distribution, and the length of the regenerated fiber can be precisely controlled by optimizing the mechanical recovery process parameters, so that the tensile strength of the regenerated composite material can reach more than 80% of the original material, meeting the use requirements of most structural parts.

(II) Optimization Strategies for Regenerated Composite Materials

Interface modification technology improves the bonding strength between regenerated fibers and resin by coupling agent treatment, reduces interface defects, and enhances the overall performance of composites15%-20%. Hybrid reinforcement uses a mixed approach of regenerated and native fibers, ensuring performance while reducing costs, and has been applied in products such as car bumpers and architectural profiles, with a cost reduction of 30%.

Dongli, Iinfiniti and other companies' innovative practices show that “Material Form Engineering” is the key to value enhancement. Processing recycled fibers into nonwoven fabrics, films, etc., endowing them with structural, functional, and decorative multiple attributes, makes them more easily integrated into downstream industry standards, breaking away from the low-value positioning as filler materials.

(3) The gradual improvement of quality control standards

The lack of standards has been a significant reason for the low recognition of the recycled materials market. In recent years, China and the EU have successively revised the recycling standards for composite materials, clarifying key indicators such as performance thresholds and resin residue limits for recycled materials.JEC World 2025At the exhibition, the industry called for the establishment of a universal testing specification for recycled carbon fiber nonwovens, promoting the standardization of indicators such as interfacial compatibility and durability, and removing obstacles for market applications.

Four, Industrial Synergy: From“Singularity Breakthrough”to“Ecosphere Closed Loop”

The recycling of composites is inseparable from the collaborative cooperation between the upstream and downstream industries of the industrial chain. The global market has formed three mainstream models: enterprise closed loop, industry alliance, and regional agglomeration, which promote the recycling system from“fragmentation”to“systematization”.

(1) Corporate closed loop: Autonomous recycling throughout the entire life cycle

Toyota's carbon fiber recycling system is a benchmark in the industry, building a full-chain closed loop of“recycling-spinning-application”. Recycling carbon fiber components from scrapped cars, processing them into regenerated fibers through spinning, and then using them in the production of automotive parts, achieves the recycling of resources. This model reduces recycling costs and enhances the adaptability of regenerated materials through internal synergy, and has achieved large-scale application.

Toray, on the other hand, advances commercialization through“Technology R&D-Scenario Verification-Customer Co-Creation”. Its recycled carbon fiber nonwoven fabric has provided prototype samples to customers in the automotive, construction, electronics, and other fields, and the collaboration with Mazda has realized the transition from technology to product, offering a replicable business model for the industry.

(II) Industry Alliance: A collaborative network of shared resources

The wind turbine blade recycling alliance establishes a technical sharing platform and a waste material distribution network by integrating resources such as wind turbine manufacturers, recyclers, and research institutions, solving the problems of insufficient recycling volume and scattered technology in a single enterprise. SpainAcciona Energía Relies on this model to establish an industrial-scale wind turbine blade recycling factory, which, throughWALUEpatented technology, transforms waste into short fibers, nonwoven fabrics, and other products, applied in sports shoes, tennis rackets, and other fields, to achieve“Waste to Value”.

The China Composites Industry Association is also promoting industry collaboration, organizing companies to participate in JEC and other international exhibitions, promoting technology exchange and resource docking, and accelerating the maturity of domestic recycling systems.

(III) Regional agglomeration: Intensive industrial ecology

The European Composite Material Recycling Industrial Park adopts an intensive processing model, with a centralized layout of recycling, sorting, regeneration, and application. By clustering upstream and downstream enterprises, logistics costs are reduced, and resources are efficiently allocated. Enterprises within the park share public resources such as testing equipment and environmental protection facilities, forming a regional recycling chain of“waste-regenerated materials-end products”, enhancing the competitiveness of the industry.

China is also planning and building similar industrial parks in Jiangsu, Guangdong and other places, relying on the local advantages of new energy vehicles and wind power industries, to create regional composite material recycling centers, and it is expected thatby 2030several industrial clusters with an annual output value of more than 10 billion yuan will be formed.

(iv) High-value applications: Key levers for market expansion

The market recognition of regenerated materials ultimately depends on the expansion of application scenarios. At present, regenerated carbon fiber has been applied on a large scale in car bumpers, battery boxes, and building profiles, while regenerated glass fiber is widely used in insulation materials, decorative panels, and other products.

At JEC World 2025, high-value application cases of recycled composites are frequently seen:Nova Carbon's recycled carbon fiber non-curling fabric for bicycle parts, high-end luxury structural components;Caracol AM uses short glass fiber reinforced recycledPETG to print the dashboard of the track car; Acciona uses recycled materials to make surfboards and sports shoes, achieving a combination of function and environmental protection. These cases prove that recycled composites can fully penetrate mid-to-high-end application scenarios, breaking the“low-quality and low-price”stereotype.

Five, existing bottlenecks: the“roadblock”

Despite significant progress in technology and industrial practice, the large-scale recycling of composites still faces multiple constraints that need to be addressed specifically.

(1) Technical level: The core problems have not yet been completely overcome.

The efficient separation of thermoset composites is still a pain point in the industry, despite breakthroughs in chemical recycling technology, there is still the problem of raw material heterogeneity affecting processing efficiency in large-scale applications. The problem of performance decay in regenerated fibers has not been thoroughly resolved, and the technical difficulty and cost of long fiber recycling remain high, limiting its application in high-end fields such as aerospace.

(II) Industry level: The system construction is still not perfect.

The lack of a well-developed recycling network is a prominent issue, with scattered waste collection and inconsistent sorting, leading to high recycling costs, and in some areas, even“nowhere to recycle” situations. The recognition of the recycled materials market is low, downstream enterprises have doubts about their performance, and there is a lack of confidence in large-scale application, forming a“的需求不足-产能过剩-成本难降” vicious cycle.

(III) Policy level: The support system needs to be strengthened.

There is a lack of a unified national mandatory recycling standard, the certification system for recycled materials is not perfect, and the market access threshold is not clear. Insufficient economic incentives, narrow profit margins for recycling enterprises, and difficulty attracting social capital investment. The policy support strength and implementation effect show regional differences.

(iv) Economic dimension: lack of cost competitiveness

The price difference between recovered costs and native materials reaches 500USD/ton, despite the obvious carbon footprint advantage, the lack of price competitiveness hinders the adoption of recycled materials in a short-term cost-oriented market environment. The large capital investment for chemical recovery, high operating costs, and the incomplete display of economies of scale further restrict the technology's promotion.

Six, Breaking the Pattern Path: Building“Technology-Standard-Market”Trinity Ecology

To promote the large-scale development of composite materials recycling, efforts need to be made from four dimensions: technological innovation, industrial synergy, policy improvement, and market cultivation, to form a sustainable development path.

(1) Technological innovation: focus on the core pain points to break through

Continuously research on the efficient recycling technology of thermoset composites, focusing on the development of low-energy consumption and low-cost chemical recycling processes, and promote the industrialization of cutting-edge technologies such as bio-enzymatic degradation. Develop degradable resin systems and recyclable composite structures to reduce the difficulty of recycling from the source, and achieve“easy recyclability design”。

The integration of digital technology will become an important direction, GermanFibclick company developedAI platform, through digital twin and simulation, the cost of composite material production planning is reduced by50%, and this model can be extended to optimize the recycling process, improve the efficiency of recycling and the stability of product quality.

(II) Industrial Synergy: Establish a full life cycle system

Building"Production-Use-Recycling"life cycle management system, strengthening the extended producer responsibility system, and promoting enterprises to incorporate recycling responsibilities into the product design phase. Perfecting the construction of recycling networks, encouraging regional agglomeration processing, and enhancing the efficiency and accuracy of waste collection and sorting through"Internet+Recycling"model.

Strengthen the synergy of innovation between upstream and downstream, with raw material enterprises, finished product enterprises, recycling enterprises, and research institutions forming a cooperative alliance to jointly carry out technology research and development, standard formulation, and market promotion, to solve“each doing their own thing”the industry dilemma.

(III) Policy Improvement: Strengthening Guidance and Safeguards

Establish mandatory recycling standards and a certification system for recycled materials, clarify performance indicators, environmental requirements, and application scope, and regulate market order. Improve the economic incentive mechanism, offer tax incentives to recycling enterprises, and provide subsidies to downstream enterprises using recycled materials to narrow the cost gap with primary materials.

Strengthen international cooperation, learn from the EUCBAM's carbon footprint accounting experience, establish a carbon footprint evaluation system in line with China's national conditions, and enhance the international competitiveness of recycled materials.

(iv) Market Cultivation: Expanding High-Value Application Scenarios

Digging into the application potential of regenerated composite materials in emerging fields such as construction, packaging, electronics, etc., the application of thermoplastic carbon fiber fabrics in the consumer electronics field is yet to be fully developed, with an12%-15% annual growth potential. Through the construction of demonstration projects, the performance advantages and cost-effectiveness of regenerated materials are showcased, enhancing market recognition.

Cultivating the brand of renewable materials, strengthening publicity and promotion, and changing the"renewal is inferior"  consumption concept, forming a"green consumption-market demand-industrial upgrading” virtuous cycle. It is expected that by2030, the global market size of renewable composite materials will reach140 billion US dollars, and China is expected to account for more than40% of the market share, becoming an important industrial base in the world.

Conclusion

Composites recycling and circular utilization has entered“the critical stage of accelerated technological breakthrough, deepened industrial collaboration, and strengthened policy support.”From Toray's low-temperature decomposition technology to Toyota's closed-loop recycling model, from European industrial parks to China's standard system construction, the industry is solving the environmental problem of12 milliontons of waste through a“trinity strategy of technology-standard-market”.

In the future, only by continuously breaking through the core bottlenecks with technological innovation, building a circular ecology with industrial synergy, and stimulating market vitality with policy guidance, can the sustainable development of the composite materials industry be achieved, and a solid support can be provided for the realization of the dual carbon goals. The circular path of composite materials is not only a technological revolution, but also a reconstruction of the industrial ecology, and more importantly, a vivid practice of the green development concept.

This paper is collected, collated and translated by the China Composites Industry Association. Some data come from the Internet. The article is not for commercial purposes, but for the exchange of industry people. Please indicate the source when quoting.