Quote:
Originally Posted by flying
I guess there is that non recyclable not green angle 
This is from the UCI's own website
the sports industry is the 3rd largest global user of carbon fibre
most carbon fibre sports equipment has an average three-year lifespan
90% of end-of-life carbon fibre equipment ends up in landfill.
I did not realize sports was the 3rd largest user either
But on that web page they talk about a "Carbon Fibre Circular Alliance" where they are trying to start some sort of reuse program with a machine. But I would be surprised if it gets beyond prototype |
This is pretty fascinating and one of the things which irks me about CFRP: nobody really talks about the long-term impact or where it goes once the part is used up. I recall Trek marketing some recycling program years back and Chris King touts the use of "Fusion Fiber" in their sourced rims. I'll probably do some reading up on it, since all I can figure is that recycling likely involves melting/burning away everything that isn't the bare carbon, so I'd imagine you'd have this mixture of weak/mixed stuff that needs to be harvested and re-impregnanted to be of any use.
Back to bikes, I'm curious to know how mixed carbon/ti bikes from the likes of Firefly, No22, or Prova ride, since it's more sustainable: high wear areas are titanium (BB, dropouts) and tubes are largely CFRP, which can be repaired.