A Review of End-of-Life Scenarios for Fibre-Reinforced Polymer Materials

Aleksandra Ziemińska-Stolarska, Mariia Sobulska (), Monika Pietrzak and Ireneusz Zbiciński
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Aleksandra Ziemińska-Stolarska: Faculty of Process and Environmental Engineering, Lodz University of Technology, Wolczanska 213, 93-005 Lodz, Poland
Mariia Sobulska: Faculty of Process and Environmental Engineering, Lodz University of Technology, Wolczanska 213, 93-005 Lodz, Poland
Monika Pietrzak: Faculty of Chemistry, Lodz University of Technology, Zeromskiego 114, 90-543 Lodz, Poland
Ireneusz Zbiciński: Faculty of Process and Environmental Engineering, Lodz University of Technology, Wolczanska 213, 93-005 Lodz, Poland

Energies, 2024, vol. 17, issue 15, 1-14

Abstract: The paper presents a review of End-of-Life scenarios (EoL) (disposal, incineration, chemical, thermal and mechanical recycling) compared to the production stage of Fibre-Reinforced Polymers (FRPs) of composites regarding global warming potential. Innovative FRP manufacturing technologies (vacuum infusion, ultraviolet curved pultrusion, hot stamping, three-dimensional printing and automatic tape placement) commonly used in the shipbuilding industry were environmentally assessed. The materials, energy flows and waste discharged to the environment over the whole life cycle were collected, identified and quantified based on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) analysis in the frame of the Fibre4Yards project. The results of LCA calculations show that waste management (the EoL scenario) contributes 5 to 39% of the total carbon footprint for FRP technologies. The highest contribution of the EoL scenario was found for technologies where polypropylene was applied, i.e., 33 and 38% of the total CO 2 emissions. Our analysis of the literature and information from industrial partners confirm that the standard and most common waste scenario for FRP materials and compounds is still incineration and landfilling.

Keywords: Fibre-Reinforced Polymer (FRP); environmental load; End-of-Life scenario (EoL); Life Cycle Assessment (LCA); carbon footprint; global warning potential (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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