Sustainable fibres recycling

Polyester fibre now commands 50% of the global fibres market and its share will keep growing. Eco-sustainable polyester yam produced from post-consumer recycled PET bottles is already used for a wide range of applications in sportswear as are fibres made using bio-polymer Ingeo PEA bio-polymer. 

Abstract This chapter will discuss advances in the properties, production and manufacturing techniques of the advanced synthetic fibre/polymer composite materials that are utilised in the manufacture of machines that produce sustainable energy. Furthermore, it will suggest methods for the repair, maintenance and recycling of advanced polymer composite wind turbine blades. 

Abstract This chapter will introduce advances in properties, production and manufacturing techniques of the advanced polymer/fibre composite materials that are utilised in the manufacture of machines that produce sustainable energy. Chapter 19 discussed the various methods of transferring wind, tidal, wave and solar energies into electrical power and this chapter will show how advanced composites are utilised in these various machines. Furthermore, it will suggest methods for the repair, maintenance and recycling of advanced polymer composite wind turbine blades. Finally, the future trends of sustainable energy systems and the role that polymers and polymer/fibre composites will have in their manufacture/fabrication will be evaluated. 

The use of recycled plastic fibres is growing as a logical and readily understood sustainability strategy. 

The growth of recycled polyester (R-PET) fibre is already an established process in a wide range of applications and is likely to grow even further. For example, Wellman International (part of Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited) has been at the forefront of this movement. Their new Eco-core polyester staple fibre offers a guaranteed, traceable, sustainable raw material content. This validation of eco-credentials is vital for the future. Fibres that are being offered as environmental solutions need to have clear traceability, similar to that of the successful and widely used forest products, Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) systems. 

The reliance on petrochemicals for nonwovens is destined to change with increasing material consumption with movement towards polymers sourced from regenerative processes (Wiertz, 2014). There is already evidence of this shift, as the production of nonwoven materials from renewable resources is increasing, along with the number of biopolymers available. Where petrochemical-derived polymers remain economical or essential, the production of nonwoven products can be made more sustainable by including recycled polymers and fibres. 

The materials now being taken up by Peugeot Citroen afford similar opportunities for weight savings and are based on recycled PET copolymer fibres with a low melting point component. Their breathability is also superior to PU foam, and their production more sustainable. 

Coconut coir is an invaluable gift of nature. This unique material has been used to make materials of our daily needs, household articles, handicrafts, and many others. Lignocellulosic natural fibres exhibit properties, such as biodegradability and recyclability, either by composting or by incineration, which are desirable to be considered as characteristics of sustainable materials. 

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