FRP Recycling Market

How big is FRP Recycling Market in 2026?

The FRP recycling market is estimated at USD 564.8 million in 2025 and is forecast to reach USD 610.0 million in 2026 and USD 1.3 billion by 2036, at an 8.0% CAGR.

FRP recycling revenue is estimated at USD 564.8 million in 2025 and is predicted to reach USD 610.0 million in 2026. The market is projected to grow at an 8.0% CAGR and reach USD 1.3 billion by 2036. Europe is moving to treat composite scrap as a tradable feedstock, so waste can travel to the plants best equipped to process the material. A European Commission consultation opened on 18 August 2026 on draft acts that would add code BEU06, fibre-reinforced polymer composite waste, to the green-listed annexes of the Waste Shipment Regulation.[1] Easier cross-border shipment would let recyclers pool blade and part scrap from several member states, which favours fewer, larger plants.

Substitution and buyer power weigh heaviest among the five competitive forces in FRP recycling. Virgin glass and carbon fibre set the price ceiling, and recovered carbon fibre keeps 70% to 90% of virgin mechanical performance, CompositesWorld reported in October 2026.[2] Moulders and compounders read that gap as grounds for a discount, so recovered fibre sells below new fibre to find a buyer. Recyclers will therefore lean on gate fees from blade owners and part makers, and plants without an offtake contract will find finance hardest to raise.

Key Market Trends & Insights

• Grinding-led mechanical recycling is forecast to lead with 46.0% share in 2026, as grinding into filler and short fibre needs only shredders and mills.
• Construction should lead end use with 39.0% share in 2026, and transportation will hold about 38%. Nantong Fuyuan and Qianwei Technology moulded a battery enclosure from recycled carbon fibre that weighs over 60% less than steel, CompositesWorld reported in October 2026.[3]
• Glass-fiber reinforced plastic is estimated to lead product with 85% share in 2026, against roughly 15% for carbon-fiber reinforced plastic.

Regional Highlights

• FMI projects FRP recycling in the United States to expand at the top profiled CAGR, 9.4% from 2026 to 2036.
• China follows at about 9.3%, the lower of the two profiled countries, and Western Europe remains the leading region on volume.
• China installed over 120 GW of new wind capacity in 2025, out of about 165 GW added globally.[4]

Market Size & Forecast

Table 1: Market Size and Forecast for the FRP Recycling Market (USD million and percentage), 2025 to 2036

Metric	Value
2025 Market Size	USD 564.8 million
Estimated Market Size in 2026	USD 610.0 million
Projected Market Size by 2036	USD 1,316.9 million
CAGR, 2026 to 2036	8.0%
Added Revenue, 2026 to 2036	USD 706.9 million
Market Expansion Multiple	2.2x

Recycling contracts follow decommissioning dates, and blade volumes rise as early wind farms reach end of life and owners repower. Global wind capacity reached about 1,299 GW in 2025, and installations of about 165 GW in that year were about 40% above the 117 GW added in each of 2023 and 2024.[4] Each GW installed today becomes blade waste after decades of service, and the shorter-life scrap stream comes from production offcuts. Growth of the wind turbine blade market adds decommissioned blades through 2036. FMI predicts that FRP recycling will add USD 706.9 million of sales between 2026 and 2036, a 2.2x expansion of the 2026 base. Cheap virgin glass fibre threatens that gain, since recovered fibre has to sell below new fibre to find buyers.

Waste Rules, Feedstock Pooling and Fibre Quality

A European Commission consultation opened on 18 August 2026 on two draft delegated acts under Waste Shipment Regulation (EU) 2024/1157, the Norwegian Environment Agency reported.[1] One draft adds code BEU06, fibre-reinforced polymer composite waste, to the green-listed annexes, together with BEU07 for aluminium and steel waste from construction and demolition.[1] Comments closed on 15 September 2026, and the acts remain drafts.[1] Recyclers will plan larger plants in fewer member states once green-listing makes cross-border shipment of composite scrap easier.

The Horizon Europe REFRESH project infused a blade tip of about 1.0 by 1.5 metres with recycled glass fibre mat in the upper shell, and the mat can carry 90% to 95% recycled fibre by weight.[5] TECNALIA is testing recycled fibre in 3D printed concrete within the same project, which adds a construction outlet for recovered glass.[5] Aditya Birla (Advanced Materials), a business of Aditya Birla Chemicals (Thailand), and UK-based Plaswire signed an MoU in September 2026 to build thermoset composite recycling ecosystems, using Recyclamine technology that separates fibre and resin.[6] Catack-H of South Korea signed an MOU with POSCO International in January 2026 to export recycled milled carbon and carbon fibre nonwoven fabric, and Catack-H prices recycled fibre at 50% or less of virgin material.[7] FMI expects recycled carbon fibre at half the virgin price to reach automotive, sporting goods and construction buyers.

Table 2: Waste, Capacity and Process Indicators for the FRP Recycling Market (tonnages, dates and ratios), 2025 to 2030

Indicator	Data Point	Relevance	Source
EU composite waste outlook	Over 1 million tonnes by 2030	Feedstock exceeds current recycling capacity.	[2]
Wind blade waste contribution	Estimated 300 to 400 kilotonnes	Blades are the largest single stream.	[2]
Global composite recycling capacity	Under 100 kilotonnes	Capacity has to grow to match waste.	[2]
Pyrolysis output per tonne of GFRP	About 62% glass fibre; about 21% oil	Two products need offtake.	[2]
EU green-listing consultation, August 2026	Code BEU06 for fibre-reinforced polymer composite waste	Waste could be pooled across member states.	[1]
Global wind installations, 2025	About 165 GW, about 40% above 2024	Future blade waste is rising.	[4]

Analyst Perspective

“Composite buyers used to ask recyclers only for the cheapest disposal route. Car and sports equipment makers now ask for recovered fibre with a stated share of virgin performance and a supply plan over several years, because recycled content is written into bid documents.”

- Nikhil Kaitwade, Principal Consultant, Future Market Insights.

How is the FRP recycling market segmented?

Recycling technique, end use and product divide the market, alongside region. Mechanical recycling is expected to lead technique with 46.0% share in 2026, construction is projected to lead end use with 39.0% and glass-fiber reinforced plastic will lead product with 85%.

By recycling technique: mechanical recycling, thermal/chemical recycling, and incineration.

By end use: transportation, construction, industrial, and sports and leisure.

By product: glass-fiber reinforced plastic and carbon-fiber reinforced plastic.

By region: Western Europe, Middle East and Africa, North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, East Asia, and South Asia and Pacific.

Why does mechanical recycling lead FRP recycling technique sales?

Of 2026 technique sales, mechanical recycling is estimated at 46.0%, ahead of thermal and chemical recycling at about 34% and incineration at roughly 20%.

Table 3: Recycling Technique Share for the FRP Recycling Market (percentage share), 2026

Recycling Technique	Estimated Share (2026)
Mechanical Recycling	46.0%
Thermal/Chemical Recycling	34%
Incineration	20%
Total	100.0%

Table 4: Recycling Technique Leadership and Market Growth for the FRP Recycling Market (segment and CAGR percentage), 2026 to 2036

Metric	Value
Global CAGR (2026 to 2036)	8.0%
Leading Segment	Mechanical Recycling

Mechanical recycling is expected to lead with 46.0% share in 2026, and the segment is forecast to expand at an 8.1% CAGR from 2026 to 2036. Shredding FRP into filler and short fibre needs only a grinder and a classifier, so a plant can start small. Thermal and chemical recycling is likely to hold 34% share in 2026 and recovers longer fibre, and pyrolysis returns about 62% of GFRP input as glass fibre plus about 21% as oil.[2] That route costs more to build and needs offtake for each stream. Incineration is anticipated to hold 20% in 2026 and includes cement co-processing, which burns the resin as kiln fuel and fuses the glass into clinker. Waste owners choose grinding when the fibre is glass and the buyer wants filler, and pyrolysis when the fibre is carbon.

• Shredding, hammer milling and micronising form the mechanical group.
• In January 2026, the REFRESH project reported laminates with recycled glass mat coming close to comparable virgin-mat laminates.[5]

Why does construction lead FRP recycling end-use sales?

End-use sales in 2026 are likely to split 39.0% for construction, about 38% for transportation, near 14% for industrial and about 9% for sports and leisure.

Table 5: End Use Share for the FRP Recycling Market (percentage share), 2026

End Use	Estimated Share (2026)
Construction	39.0%
Transportation	38%
Industrial	14%
Sports and Leisure	9%
Total	100.0%

Construction is projected to lead with 39.0% share in 2026, just ahead of transportation at about 38%. Recycled glass fibre and filler go into concrete, panels and polymer composites that accept short fibre, so construction absorbs the largest volume of milled FRP. Gratings and walkways made from FRP add end-of-life scrap from plants and platforms, and growth of the FRP grating market keeps that stream in construction. Transportation ranks second behind construction and is projected to expand at an 8.3% CAGR from 2026 to 2036, above the 8.0% market rate, because car makers are testing recycled carbon fibre in parts such as battery enclosures.[3] Industrial users, at roughly 14% in 2026, recycle pipes, tanks and moulds, and sports and leisure, at 9% in 2026, covers boats, bicycles and rackets. Builders pick recycled content on price per tonne, and car makers pick on stiffness per kilogram.

• Concrete, panels and gratings are the main construction outlets for milled FRP.
• Transportation scrap gained a new outlet after Nantong Fuyuan and Qianwei moulded a recycled carbon fibre battery enclosure, reported in October 2026.[3]

Why does glass-fiber reinforced plastic lead FRP recycling product sales?

In product, glass-fiber reinforced plastic will lead with 85% of 2026 sales, and carbon-fiber reinforced plastic should hold about 15%.

Table 6: Product Share for the FRP Recycling Market (percentage share), 2026

Product	Estimated Share (2026)
Glass-Fiber Reinforced Plastic	85%
Carbon-Fiber Reinforced Plastic	15%
Total	100.0%

Glass-fiber reinforced plastic is anticipated to lead with 85% share in 2026, since wind blades, boat hulls and pipes are mostly GFRP, and about 6 million fibreglass hulls form a marine stream.[2] Carbon-fiber reinforced plastic, at about 15% in 2026, is a smaller volume with a far higher value per tonne, and the carbon fiber composites market sets the pool of aircraft and car parts behind that stream. Between 6,000 and 8,000 aircraft are expected to leave service by 2030, each carrying 20 tonnes or more of CFRP.[2] Recyclers choose glass for volume and carbon for margin.

• Blade, hull and pipe scrap supply the bulk of the glass fibre stream.
• Owens Corning completed the sale of the glass reinforcements business to Praana Group on 30 April 2026.[8]

What are the drivers, restraints, and opportunities in the FRP recycling market?

Retiring wind blades, composite car parts and easier waste shipment rules are sending more FRP scrap to recyclers. Weak plant finance and lower recovered fibre quality slow new capacity, and moulded recycled carbon fibre parts open higher-value outlets.

• Driver: Ageing wind fleets and composite-rich vehicles send blades and parts to end of life in steady volumes, so waste owners need recyclers able to take large and regular tonnage.
• Restraint: Key challenges faced by manufacturers include recovered fibre that performs below virgin grades, so moulders expect a discount and lenders hesitate to fund plants without a committed buyer for the output.
• Opportunity: Battery enclosure and housing moulders value recycled carbon fibre for low weight and lower embodied carbon, which lets recyclers sell finished fibre products at a far higher price per tonne than filler.

Blade and Car Scrap Fill Recycling Lines

Growing wind fleets and composite car parts are supporting the demand for FRP recycling, and the automotive composites market is predicted to grow at a 12.3% CAGR between 2026 and 2036. Cumulative wind capacity reached about 1,299 GW in 2025, and GWEC forecasts 2 terawatts by 2030, CompositesWorld reported.[4] FMI's analysis also links demand to advances in pyrolysis and solvolysis and to stricter waste disposal rules. As a result, recyclers will see blade volumes rise each time an early wind farm is repowered.

Plant Finance and Fibre Quality Limit Capacity

Financing and recovered fibre quality hold back new recycling lines, because lenders want proof that recovered fibre will find a paying buyer. The RCA Engineering framework sets out six gates for judging whether a recycling project is financially viable.[2] Recovered carbon fibre retains 70% to 90% of virgin mechanical performance, so buyers discount the price.[2] Small plants without offtake contracts will struggle to reach finance.

Recycled Carbon Fibre Parts Open Higher-Value Sales

Battery enclosures and electronics housings are opening new sales for recycled carbon fiber. Fuyuan reported an 85% cut in carbon emissions per kilogram against virgin carbon fibre products, and the enclosure molding cycle runs under 6 minutes against 80 to 90 minutes for metal enclosures.[3] Catack-H reports a 95.7% carbon fibre recovery rate and tensile strength at 95.7% of virgin yarn from a chemical decomposition process.[7] Battery enclosure moulders buying recycled carbon fibre add tonnage behind growth of the recycled carbon fiber market. Recyclers selling moulded or nonwoven recycled fibre will earn far more per tonne than recyclers selling filler.

Which country CAGRs are profiled in the FRP recycling market?

Table 7: Country CAGR Comparison for the FRP Recycling Market (CAGR percentage), 2026 to 2036

Country	CAGR (2026 to 2036)
United States	9.4%
China	9.3%

How do country-level CAGRs compare in the FRP recycling market?

Chinese wind developers added over 120 GW of capacity in 2025, the largest national addition.[4] FMI projects the United States at a 9.4% CAGR from 2026 to 2036 and China at about 9.3%. Both are above the 8.0% global CAGR, since American and Chinese recyclers are starting from smaller installed capacity and taking new blade and vehicle scrap. The emergence of new growth frontiers in the United States and China comes from wind repowering, car scrap and new recycling plants. American recyclers handle blade waste from a fleet that grew 71% in new installations in 2025, and Chinese recyclers feed recycled carbon fibre into vehicle parts.

• U.S. wind installations rose 71% in 2025, adding future blade waste.
• Nantong Fuyuan and Qianwei Technology mould recycled carbon fibre into battery enclosures.

Full report country CAGRs cover: two profiled countries, China within East Asia and the United States within North America, plus regional CAGRs for Western Europe, Eastern Europe, South Asia and Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East and Africa.

Country-wise Analysis

United States FRP Recycling Market Outlook (2026 to 2036)

FMI expects sales of FRP recycling in the United States to rise on a 9.4% CAGR from 2026 to 2036, the quickest of the profiled countries. U.S. wind installations rose 71% in 2025, placing North America third among wind regions.[4] Praana Group acquired the Owens Corning glass reinforcements business in 2026, in a deal at an enterprise value of USD 645 million.[8] American recyclers such as Global Fiberglass Solutions, Carbon Conversions and Vartega will compete for blade and carbon scrap as repowering grows.

Key takeaway: Repowering and car scrap put the United States ahead of China, at 9.4% against about 9.3%.

China FRP Recycling Market Outlook (2026 to 2036)

FMI places FRP recycling in China on a CAGR of about 9.3% from 2026 to 2036, and national wind additions passed 120 GW in 2025.[4] Nantong Fuyuan supplied recycled carbon fibre material and Qianwei Technology moulded a lower battery enclosure on a 2,000-ton platform, with 40% fewer components.[3] New energy vehicles, rail transit and robotics are named as further applications for the material.[3]

Key takeaway: China combines the largest wind additions with early use of recycled carbon fibre in vehicle parts.

Who are the notable companies in the FRP recycling market?

Vartega, Carbon Conversions, Eco-Wolf, Global Fiberglass Solutions, Carbon Fiber Recycling (CFR-TN), Aeron Composite, Conenor, Gen 2 Carbon, Karborek Recycling Carbon Fibers, Procote, Aditya Birla (Advanced Materials), Nantong Fuyuan and Catack-H are the profiled companies.

FMI profiles carbon fibre specialists such as Vartega, Carbon Conversions, Eco-Wolf, Carbon Fiber Recycling (CFR-TN), Gen 2 Carbon and Karborek Recycling Carbon Fibers, along with glass fibre and FRP processors such as Global Fiberglass Solutions and Conenor. Materials groups are entering with process licences. Aditya Birla (Advanced Materials) signed an MOU with Plaswire in September 2026 to build thermoset recycling ecosystems.[6]

• Carbon fibre recyclers: Vartega, Carbon Conversions, Eco-Wolf, Carbon Fiber Recycling (CFR-TN), Gen 2 Carbon, Karborek Recycling Carbon Fibers, Nantong Fuyuan and Catack-H.
• Glass fibre and FRP processors: Global Fiberglass Solutions, Conenor, Aeron Composite and Procote.
• Materials groups with recycling technology: Aditya Birla (Advanced Materials).

Competitive Benchmarking: FRP Recycling Market

Table 8: Competitive Benchmarking for the FRP Recycling Market (qualitative documentation ratings), 2026

Company	Carbon Fibre Recovery	Glass Fibre Recovery	Offtake Detail	Recency
Vartega	High	Low	Low	Low
Global Fiberglass Solutions	Low	High	Low	Low
Gen 2 Carbon	High	Low	Medium	Low
Conenor	Low	Medium	Low	Low
Carbon Conversions	High	Low	Low	Low

Grades step up with the process and customer detail found in dated releases and trade reports, and none of them implies market share.

Key Developments in the FRP Recycling Market

• On 14 October 2026, Nantong Fuyuan and Qianwei Technology presented a recycled carbon fibre battery enclosure.[3]
• On 7 October 2026, CompositesWorld published a bankability framework for composite recycling projects.[2]
• On 24 September 2026, Indian Chemical News reported the Aditya Birla (Advanced Materials) and Plaswire MoU on thermoset composite recycling.[6]
• On 18 August 2026, the European Commission opened a consultation on green-listing FRP composite waste under code BEU06.[1]
• In June 2026, CompositesWorld reported about 165 GW of global wind installations for 2025.[4]
• In April 2026, Praana Group closed the purchase of the Owens Corning glass reinforcements business.[8]
• On 26 January 2026, the REFRESH project reported a blade tip prototype made with recycled glass fibre mat.[5]
• On 13 January 2026, Catack-H and POSCO International signed an MOU on carbon fibre recycling and exports.[7]

Key Players in the FRP Recycling Market

Carbon Fibre Recyclers

• Vartega
• Carbon Conversions
• Eco-Wolf
• Carbon Fiber Recycling (CFR-TN)
• Gen 2 Carbon
• Karborek Recycling Carbon Fibers
• Nantong Fuyuan
• Catack-H

Glass Fibre and FRP Processors

• Global Fiberglass Solutions
• Conenor
• Aeron Composite
• Procote

Materials Groups with Recycling Technology

• Aditya Birla (Advanced Materials)

FRP Recycling Market - Report Scope

Table 9: Report Scope for the FRP Recycling Market (coverage fields and definitions), 2026 to 2036

Coverage field	Report scope
Market breakdown	Recycling technique; end use; product; region
Quantitative units	USD million
Market definition	Recycling of glass-fiber and carbon-fiber reinforced plastic waste by mechanical, thermal, chemical and incineration routes for construction, transportation, industrial and sports uses.
Regions covered	North America; Latin America; Western Europe; Eastern Europe; East Asia; South Asia and Pacific; Middle East and Africa
Countries covered	United States; Canada; Brazil; Mexico; Argentina; Chile; Germany; France; United Kingdom; Italy; Spain; Benelux; Nordics; Poland; Czech Republic; Romania; Hungary; China; Japan; South Korea; India; ASEAN; Australia and New Zealand; GCC Countries; South Africa; Türkiye; Israel
Key companies profiled	Vartega, Carbon Conversions, Eco-Wolf, Global Fiberglass Solutions, Carbon Fiber Recycling (CFR-TN), Aeron Composite, Conenor, Gen 2 Carbon, Karborek Recycling Carbon Fibers, Procote, Aditya Birla (Advanced Materials), Nantong Fuyuan, Catack-H
Forecast period	2026 to 2036

FRP Recycling Market - Research Methodology

Table 10: Research Methodology for the FRP Recycling Market (research methods and approach), 2026 edition

Method	Approach
Data Sources	Composites trade press, company announcements, EU project releases and government notices from May 2025 onward.
Desk Research	Desk research covers blade and car scrap volumes, recycling capacity, EU waste shipment rules and recycled fibre applications.
Market Sizing and Forecasting	Sizing starts from the 2025 base of USD 564.8 million and the 8.0% CAGR from 2026 to 2036.
Data Validation	Tonnages, dates and process claims were matched to the publishing trade title or company.

FRP Recycling Market by Segments

FRP Recycling Market segmented by Recycling Technique:

• Mechanical Recycling
• Thermal/Chemical Recycling
• Incineration

FRP Recycling Market segmented by End Use:

• Transportation
• Construction
• Industrial
• Sports and Leisure

FRP Recycling Market segmented by Product:

• Glass-Fiber Reinforced Plastic
• Carbon-Fiber Reinforced Plastic

FRP Recycling Market by Region

• North America
  • United States
  • Canada
• Latin America
  • Brazil
  • Mexico
  • Argentina
  • Chile
• Western Europe
  • Germany
  • France
  • United Kingdom
  • Italy
  • Spain
  • Benelux
  • Nordics
• Eastern Europe
  • Poland
  • Czech Republic
  • Romania
  • Hungary
• East Asia
  • China
  • Japan
  • South Korea
• South Asia and Pacific
  • India
  • ASEAN
  • Australia and New Zealand
• Middle East and Africa
  • GCC Countries
  • South Africa
  • Türkiye
  • Israel

Research Sources and Bibliography

• [1] Norwegian Environment Agency (Miljødirektoratet). (2026, August 21). EU-høring om grønnlisting av avfall. https://www.miljodirektoratet.no/aktuelt/fagmeldinger/2026/august-2026/eu-horing-om-gronnlisting-av-avfall/
• [2] CompositesWorld. (2026, October 7). A Process Engineering Framework for Bankable Composite Recycling Projects. https://www.compositesworld.com/articles/a-process-engineering-framework-for-bankable-composite-recycling-projects
• [3] CompositesWorld. (2026, October 14). Nantong, Qianwei Develop RCF/TPC Battery Enclosure Via Single, Integrated Molding Process. https://www.compositesworld.com/news/nantong-qianwei-develop-rcftpc-battery-enclosure-via-single-integrated-molding-process
• [4] CompositesWorld. (2026, June 19). Composites End Markets: Energy (2026). https://www.compositesworld.com/articles/composites-end-markets-energy-2026
• [5] REFRESH project, EuCIA. (2026, January 26). The REFRESH circular wind turbine blade. Press release. https://circulareconomy.europa.eu/platform/sites/default/files/2026-01/Press%20release2026_the%20REFRESH%20circular%20wind%20turbine%20blade.pdf
• [6] Indian Chemical News. (2026, September 24). Aditya Birla Group and Plaswire join hands to tackle composite waste. https://www.indianchemicalnews.com/advanced-materials/aditya-birla-group-and-plaswire-join-hands-to-tackle-composite-waste-32018
• [7] VentureSquare. (2026, January 13). 카텍에이치, 포스코인터내셔널과 MOU 체결 [Catack-H signs MOU with POSCO International]. https://www.venturesquare.net/1032425/
• [8] Owens Corning. (2026, April 30). Owens Corning Completes Sale of Glass Reinforcements Business to Praana Group. Business Wire. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260430997267/en/Owens-Corning-Completes-Sale-of-Glass-Reinforcements-Business-to-Praana-Group

This bibliography is provided for reader reference. The full report contains the complete reference list and detailed citations.

This Report Answers

• How big is the FRP recycling market during 2026?
• What market size is projected by 2036?
• Which recycling technique holds notable share?
• Which end use holds notable share?
• Which countries have notable growth?
• Which companies are notable in the market?