Composite Recycling obtains CHF 150’000 to recycle glass fibers

In 2021, 4.5 million tons of Glass fiber reinforced plastic (GFRP) waste was produced, with 98% ending up in a landfill. Meanwhile, 9 million tons of new GFRP were produced. Composite Recycling closes the loop on GFRPs by recycling them into reusable glass fibers and pyrolysis oil, which can be sold and used to make new composites and plastics. Composite Recycling’s proprietary mobile recycling units are energy neutral, using the reaction to self-power, allowing the startup to sell the reclaimed materials at market value for a profit.

The Lausanne-based startup has developed a novel pyrolysis reactor design that can maintain the structural integrity of the glass fibers, significantly increasing the resale value and reusability. Standard pyrolysis techniques require the grinding and shedding of the material; however, the startup has developed a post-treatment process to clean the reclaimed glass fibers and prepare them for sale and reuse.

Due to its innovative energy recapture system, Composite Recycling’s system can deal with more diverse waste since it converts the waste into pyrolysis oil rather than preserving the resin for reuse. This makes the firm’s solution much cheaper than others on the market. In addition, Composite Recycling’s mobilized recycling units process approximately 2 tons per day, making it much less CAPex heavy than centralized plants. The startup bypasses waste shipping logistics and regulations by treating the waste on-site.

The Venture Kick award of CHF 150,000 will enable the startup to complete its recyclability certification lab to quality control the waste streams from its first customers. “Going through the Venture Kick process has been extremely valuable for developing Composite Recycling. Considering we are only a year old, I am extremely proud of how far we have come and how fast we have developed. This was partly due to the visibility and funding we received from Venture Kick, one of our earliest supporters. I also greatly appreciated the insights gained during the kickers’ camps which challenged and grew our ambitions”, said Mitchell Anderson, CTO of Composite Recycling.

Alongside Miche are Guillaume Perben (CEO) and Pascal Gallo (CSO) in the co-founding team. Professor Véronique Michaud, Head of the Laboratory for Processing of Advanced Composites at EPFL, serves as one of the advisors to the leadership team.

(Press release/ran)
Photo: Pascal Gallo, Guillaume Perben, Mitchell Anderson