You can recycle fiberglass with ease since our material can be found on everything from boats to pipes.
However, there are some circumstances where you won’t find a Fiberglass recycling program in your community. if that is the case, you do have a few options.
You can take the initiative and create your own recycling program. So, can you recycle fiberglass?
Yes, you can recycle fiberglass! In fact, you are encouraged to do so since fiberglass is 100% recyclable and reusable!
In some communities, there are even special fiberglass recycling programs that can make it easier for individuals and businesses to recycle their fiberglass materials into fine new products!
Can You Recycle Fiberglass?
Contents
Fiberglass is considered one of the lightest and strongest materials in the world.
Fiberglass is made up of strands that are fused together via a chemical process known as polymerization.
This process creates the material’s durable, yet lightweight structure.
Despite its lightweight structure, fiberglass has impressive strength and durability that is far superior to most other common materials.
Fiberglass is extremely durable and resistance to flaws such as scratching and abrasions. In fact, fiberglass is considered one of the most durable materials on the market.
This composition makes it challenging to recycle fiberglass in a traditional manner.
However, techniques have been devised to ensure effective recycling of fiberglass products.
However, there are a limited number of facilities that can recycle fiberglass products into new items due to the difficulty of the recycling process.
If you reside in a region where there are fiberglass recycling programs available, you can save yourself a lot of time and hassle by recycling your materials through such a program.
If there aren’t any programs available in your area yet, consider starting your own recycling program.
Where Can You Recycle Fiberglass?
Your local recycler or household hazardous waste disposal company can potentially accept some forms of fiberglass for recycling.
To find out whether they accept fiberglass, contact them and ask them what their policy is regarding such materials.
Typically, the recycler will only accept larger pieces of fiberglass such as boat hulls and RV roof material.
To be approved, they may require documentation of the fiberglass original use and signatures required by state and/or federal regulations in order to legally accept items used for residential purposes such as boat hulls or RV roofs.
As a result, filthy or contaminated fiberglass materials will not be accepted for recycling.
Your recycler needs clean fiberglass material in order to make new items using recycled materials.
Fiberglass insulation is beneficial for reuse because it’s composed of crushed glass fibers which can be incorporated into various products.
In the case of bigger fiberglass products like boats, you’ll likely not be able to recycle it yourself.
Can You Put the Fiberglass in a Trash Can?
Disposable fiberglass boats are discarded in landfills where they will pose an environmental hazard and contaminate soil.
Instead, you should recycle disposable fiberglass products by recycling them yourself or participating in a community recycling program.
Recycling is the most effective way to dispose of disposable fiberglass products and create new products.
When you choose to recycle your disposable fiberglass products, you will help prevent the material from being thrown away and potentially ending up in landfills where it could contaminate soil and pose an environmental hazard.
Fiberglass recycling on an industrial scale is a complicated process that requires specialized equipment and raw materials.
Since fiberglass is 100 percent recyclable, old fiberglass can be mixed with raw glass fibers to make new products.
Aluminum, brass, copper, steel, and plastic are examples of recyclable metals used for disposable metal items, such as buckets and dishes.
Fiberglass can be used in the composite of many types of products.
As a result, less virgin materials are used, which reduces the need to mine raw materials and decreases energy consumption and pollution associated with manufacturing.
There is no denying that recycling has become just as important as disposing of your trash properly.
Is Fiberglass Eco-Friendly?
Invented in 1931, fiberglass is lighter and stronger pound for pound than steel— and 90 percent lighter than aluminum.
Fiberglass is stronger than aluminum and steel but less resilient than these materials.
Unlike painting or hot-dip galvanizing, fiberglass repair does not require toxic chemicals or invasive processes.
How Do You Dispose of Fiberglass?
Fiberglass Boat Pool
Obsolete fiberglass boats can pollute the ground and groundwater since they are made of toxic components which can leach into the ground or contaminate the water table where they settle.
The decreasing popularity of fiberglass boats is being addressed by the introduction of new materials designed to make these watercraft more environmentally safe.
Recycled fiberglass is used to create many new products including wind turbine blades, street signs, flower pots, and kayaks.
The fiberglass industry is increasingly focused on making its products more environmentally friendly and recyclable.
It will save you a lot and guarantee safety just in case you fall down or get hit by waves.
Sell It To a Salvager
You may be able to sell your old fiberglass boat to a salvager.
If you’re able to locate a salvage yard that has both experience and interest in buying fiberglass boats, you’ll be able to turn your outdated boat into some cash.
If it’s commercially viable and salvageable, many yards will pay you cash for your unusable fiberglass boat.
Repurpose Fiberglass
FRP has strength and durability well beyond that of conventional construction materials.
Fiberglass is favored by auto manufacturers for its practicality and its ease of manufacture.
Since most cases of fiberglass recycling are for industrial applications, your options for reuse will depend on the type of fiberglass product that you are recycling.
If you’ve purchased a new kayak and want to sell your old one to a recycler, your best bet is to contact your local recycler to see if they buy kayaks for recycling.
A recycler or salvage yard that is experienced in purchasing fiberglass products will be able to tell you whether or not your kayak can be repurposed or if it needs to be discarded.
Donate It To Charity
Enriching the lives of others is often a rewarding way to clear clutter and dispose of a product that is no longer of any use to you.
Donating an old or unwanted fiberglass boat to a charity is a great way to get rid of it, feel good about yourself, and ensure that someone else will be able to use it.
If you donate your boat, it will be repaired and given to a disabled individual or a family in need and is tax deductible .
If the boat cannot be fixed or if it is beyond repair, it may be discarded in an appropriate manner, such as putting it in a landfill or recycling it in a community approved landfill.
Many charities accept donated watercraft in good condition in order to repair or repurpose them and donate them to individuals in need.
Also See: How to Dispose of a Glass Table Top Safely
Conclusion
Reuse old fiberglass when possible; only dispose of it if it is necessary to get rid of the product or it is a single-use item that will not have a repairable damage.
Until recently, recycling of fiberglass was impractical due to the material’s cost to recycle.
Even now, locating a recycling facility that accepts fiberglass can be difficult, as is finding a facility that accepts and properly recycles boat hulls.
Your best choice is to try to reuse your old boat and find a non-marine recycling center or landfill that can recycle it appropriately.
Furthermore, you can also try and sell the boat to a marine salvage company or a shore-based boat repair company.
