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Survey: Technologies and practices to improve circularity and recycling of composite materials

Dear interested participant,

as a follow up of the Sardinia Symposium 2025 – 20th International Symposium on Waste Management, Resource Recovery and Sustainable Landfilling and as an initiative of the EU-funded REPOXYBLE project, we are collecting experiences and views on circularity and sustainability aspects of resin-based composites along their life cycle.

These will help to inform the design of novel resin-based composite systems, allowing closed loop recycling of their components, including fibres, such as the one developed by REPOXYBLE (thanks to its DLCE - Depolymerizable Closed Loop Epoxy system).
This survey will help to develop practical advice for for research, industry and policy makers in developing new materials, technologies and in defining circular value chain and business models, to reduce impacts of composite materials all along the life cycle, especially at the End of Life.

We ask your opinion, as expert in one or more of the following fields: sustainability, occupational health and safety, recycling, waste management, advanced materials, polymer and composite engineering, polymer-based composites.

Most of the questions are introduced, as a guidance, by a brief statement based on the experience of the REPOXYBLE project. The questionnaire is composed of 14 open and multiple choices questions, structured in 3 sections:
  • Technologies
  • Life cycle, value chain and circular business models
  • Your profile (optional)

We will keep you updated on project results, and you will receive the final guidance documents developed by the project. Compilation should take about 10-15 minutes.
Please, compile the survey before 8th December 2025.

On behalf of REPOXYBLE:
Christoph Olscher, Florian Part - BOKU University
Andrea Porcari, Elena Destro, Olmo Guagnetti - Italian Association for Industrial Research (Airi)

For further questions contact info@repoxyble.eu
Part A) Technologies
Background
Nowadays there are quite few technologies to ensure cost-effective separation and recycling of polymer composites. Novel composites should be designed based on Safe and Sustainable by Design approaches that could ensure sustainability along the entire life cycle, including End of Life. Recycling processes should be upscaled and integrated in existing value chains, to make recycling feasible and cost-effective.
1.Based on your experience, which are the most used strategies (state of the art) for waste management of resin-based composites materials?
Choosing from Not used at all to Most used
Not used at all
Sometime used
Used
Frequently used
Most used
Landfilling
Waste-to-energy (thermal)
Reuse/remanufacturing
Mechanical recycling
Chemical recycling
Biological recycling
2.In your view, what would you consider as the most effective recycling technologies for novel resin-based composite materials?
Choosing from Not effective at all to Most effective
Not effective at all
Somewhat ineffective
Moderate effectiveness
Generally effective
Most effective
Mechanical recycling
(e.g. shredding/milling)
Pyrolysis
Hydrolysis
(ambient conditions)
Hydrolysis
(supercritical conditions)
Solvolysis
(ambient conditions)
Solvolysis
(supercritical conditions)
Enzymatic degradation/biological recycling
3.Please add here any specific comment on the previous question, including considerations about major differences in circular/recycling technologies depending on the type of material considered
4.Which are the main barriers for the implementation of these recycling technologies?
Choosing from Not a barrier to Major barrier
Not a barrier
Minor barrier
Moderate barrier
Significant barrier
Major barrier
Complexity of material composition
Material costs
Processing costs
Availability of materials
(to ensure cost effective recycling)
Access to infrastructure
(availability, locations, and transport)
Access to relevant supply chain players
(e.g, recyclers)
Challenges in scalability/upscaling of the technology
Challenges in market uptake of secondary raw materials
(e.g. quality, costs, volumes)
Market entry barriers for secondary raw materials
(e.g. competitive gain, acceptance by end users)
Availability of information
(on process, product, material composition and recyclability)
Material requirements and criteria
(e.g. safety, quality)
End of Life/End of Waste criteria
(e.g. classification of waste and secondary materials)
5.Which are the main motivations/opportunities for the implementation of these recycling technologies?
Choosing from Not an opportunity to Major opportunity
Not an opportunity
Minor opportunity
Moderate opportunity
Significant opportunity
Major opportunity
Competitive advantage
(technology leadership)
Improving sustainability of processes and products
Increase value of waste/secondary materials
Reduce raw material consumption
Avoid supply chain shortages
Open new markets
Address current/future regulatory requirements
(regulatory preparedness)
Improving company reputation
6.Which sectors/applications do you think have the highest potential for the use of recycled composites, in particular resin-based composites?
If possible, please list at least 3 sectors
7.Could you please indicate if you are involved or aware of initiatives concerning recycling and End of Life technologies of resin-based composites, and possibly name/describe them?
Part B) Life cycle, value chain and circular business models
Background
Reducing and avoiding waste along the life cycle is the ambition of current and upcoming policies, regulations and strategies (e.g. EC Chemical Strategy for Sustainability, EU end-of-life-of-vehicles Directive). This includes transforming waste into valuable secondary materials to strongly reduce negative environmental impacts. But new approaches, and possibly new business models are required to achieve these ambitions.
8.What could be the most effective technological and/or market approaches to improve the circularity of resin-based composites?
E.g. implement circular, recyclable, safe and sustainable "by-design", in product development; maximize biodegradability of components; develop "as a service" and value-added circular business models, for example charging customers based on functions provided, instead of volume of material sold, etc.
9.Could you please indicate if there are missing or underrepresented players in existing value chains, in order to enable circularity processes for resin-based composites and possibly name/describe them?
E.g. specialized waste collectors, specialized dismantling companies, shredding companies, seller or buyer of recycled materials (middleman), etc.
10.Which policies/legal limitations (will) have the strongest impact (as a barrier or a driver) in collecting and recycling End of Life composite materials?
Part C) Your profile
11.Please indicate your main area of expertise
12.Your stakeholder group
E.g. public research, large industry, SME, Industry cluster, assocation, standard bodies, regulatory agencies, policy maker, civil society organizations, others
13.Your Country
14.Please, provide your contact details, to remain updated on the results of the survey and of the REPOXYBLE project
Optional
15.Compiling and submitting this survey, I agree that REPOXYBLE, via its partner Airi - Italian Association for Industrial Research, will store and use these data in its database for the purpose of collecting my answers and keep me informed on the results, in compliance with the EC regulation 2016/679 (more info on REPOXYBLE's privacy & cookie policy)(Required.)
16.I would like to receive REPOXYBLE newsletter to to stay informed about the project and its topics.
Optional
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