When the first production fiberglass boat — the Rebel 16 — was built in 1948, no one knew how durable and long-lived this newfangled material was going to be. Well, somewhere in a landfill, that first boat is probably still largely intact. While the durability of fiberglass is in many ways a virtue, the dogged bond between resin and fiberglass makes recycling a difficult, costly process.
To resolve this problem for the marine industry, several companies are looking at alternatives to relegating fiberglass boats to a garbage heap.
France is the first country to do “estate planning.” This means charging a fee to a boat buyer, to partially defray the cost of dealing with the boat’s remains. This fee funds an organization to dismantle and dispose of the components without having to turn a profit. Some parts, such as metals, wood and electronics, can be easily recycled. The hull is combined with other waste and incinerated. Since August 2019, the organization has processed about 7,500 boats.
In Switzerland, startup company Composite Recycling is using pyrolysis (heat without oxygen) to liberate fiberglass strands from the resin bond. Because of the lack of oxygen, the flammable resin doesn’t burn. Composite Recycling then treats the reclaimed fibers so they maintain much of their original appearance and structural integrity. And rather than having large, centralized recycling plants, Composite Recycling is deploying pyrolysis reactors that fit in 20-foot-long containers for on-site treatment of fiberglass waste.
The French company Arkema is looking at a new resin whose bond with fiberglass (or carbon fiber) can be more easily reversed. In 2012, Arkema applied for its first patent of Elium, a styrene- and BPA-free thermoplastic resin. Its low viscosity, long reactivity and low exothermy make it well-suited for resin infusion in boatbuilding. Outside of the marine industry, in 2022, Elium was used to build a 203-foot wind turbine blade prototype that was 100% recyclable — a good characteristic for renewable energy sources. Arkema also worked with Lalou Multi to build the Ocean Fifty Arkema racing trimaran, co-funded by Beneteau. Recycled Elium resin was used for all front fairings of the outriggers, as well as the deckhouse and cockpit. The 3,543-mile Route du Rhum from France to Guadeloupe proved a rugged test for validation.
In 2022, the two largest boatbuilders in the world, Brunswick Corp. and Beneteau, began building boats using Elium. But because of the volume of boats each company produces, the approach has been cautious. So far, Brunswick has built a non-production Boston Whaler SP110, which was shown at recent U.S. boat shows. The company plans to build about 50 production boats next year using this new class of resin.
“For decades, Brunswick has actively pursued the production of increasingly environmentally responsible products. Working with Elium to improve the recyclability of fiberglass boats is our next step in this journey,” says Andrea Shen, sourcing category manager for Brunswick Boat Group.
Beneteau is using Elium resin to build a sailboat prototype. Heading up Beneteau’s research, innovation and sustainable boating effort is Erwan Faoucher, who runs a team of 45 people who have been studying Elium resin for three years.
“It has been quite a challenge to replace polyester resin, as it is cheap and effective,” Faoucher says. “We did not want to go public too early, but once we achieved something significant, like building a Beneteau 44 using Elium in time for the Paris and Düsseldorf boat shows, we felt it was time to create a buzz.”
For Beneteau, switching to Elium is far more complicated than swapping chemicals on the assembly line. Manufacturing changes and validation are required. “Infusing Elium is different from polyester,” Faoucher says. “It requires new tools and additional training for our workers. The process is trickier, and you can’t mix Elium and polyester on the same line. You can’t go back once the decision is made to use it. We might start implementing its use on select production models like the 44 and continue using other materials for the rest.”
Faoucher also estimates that building an eco-forward boat using materials like Elium could raise prices as much as 10% to 15%. Beneteau wants to make sure customers are willing to spend the money before moving forward.
Arkema’s team says it has been pleased with the level of interest shown in Elium Resin Infusion Grade 151, as the product is officially known. According business manager Nicolas Valloir, “A number of companies with strong sustainability commitments are the ones most interested in Elium. Right now, consumers are looking for more recyclable and eco-friendly products in all areas of their lives, but it’s going to require more education and awareness when it comes to large-scale items like boats.”
Another mission for Arkema has been to show that Elium has other positive properties when used in boatbuilding. “Companies and end users have been pleased to learn that Elium resin generally performs up to 20% better than traditional materials in strength and impact resistance,” Valloir says, “and it can also reduce the weight of a vessel for better performance and increased fuel economy.”
When the time comes to recycle the material, the most common method is mechanical, which involves grinding the composite, compounding it, and extruding it to manufacture another part.
Look for more of that, and other ideas, as companies continue seeking to reduce carbon footprints.
This article was originally published in the July 2023 issue.
