As Europe accelerates its shift to a circular economy, the European Composites Industry Association (EuCIA) has released new data estimating that 914,000 tonnes of thermoset composite waste will be generated across the continent in 2025. However, only 25% of this volume, around 228,000 tonnes, is accessible for recycling, highlighting a significant gap between potential and actual recovery.

The findings are part of EuCIA s initiative to support sustainable waste management, infrastructure planning, and regulatory development under the EU s broader circular economy goals. The new estimates will inform the work of the European Circular Composites Alliance (ECCA), a new industry-led coalition launched in March 2025 with JEC Group.

While thermoset composites represent a small fraction of total material waste in Europe compared to plastics or aluminum, their durability and embedded use in long-life infrastructure pose unique challenges for end-of-life (EoL) management.

The effective management of composite waste starts with accurate data, said Rapha l Pleynet, Managing Director at EuCIA. Our research identifies a significant untapped resource. Unlocking this requires building collection systems, recycling infrastructure, and new market demand for secondary composites.

Despite high theoretical volumes, much of Europe s composite waste remains unrecoverable due to several factors:

       Many components like wind turbine blades are exported for reuse outside of Europe.

       A large portion of composites is embedded in structures like underground tanks and piping, which are difficult to retrieve.

       Europe lacks specialized collection and sorting systems for composites, leading to a majority of EoL parts being discarded instead of recycled.

EuCIA s GDP-based waste model helped generate the 914 kt estimate, while further analysis by sector suggests that only 5% of accessible waste is currently being recycled.

The ECCA is tasked with tackling these challenges head-on. Its core mission is to address the legal, technical, and economic barriers to scaling composite recycling, including:

       Introducing dedicated waste codes for EoL composites.

       Developing markets for recycled composites.

       Recommending policy changes to facilitate infrastructure development.

The first ECCA Working Groups will convene in August 2025, inviting industry, academia, and policymakers to collaborate on concrete solutions.

ECCA represents a pivotal step forward, added Pleynet. Stakeholders across the value chain must work together to implement reuse, repair, and recycling strategies and set measurable goals. Together, we can build a circular future for Europe s composites industry.

Source: eucia.eu