IMPLICIT Project Targets Recycling of Composite Manufacturing Waste

Updated on June 16, 2026 • 3 min read

The IMPLICIT project is developing new recycling strategies for auxiliary waste generated during composite materials manufacturing, including vacuum bags, release films and absorbent fabrics.

These single-use materials are essential in aerospace, railway, naval and renewable energy composite production, but they are often landfilled or incinerated after use because they are difficult to recycle.

Multimodal recycling strategy

IMPLICIT combines several recycling routes to recover materials with the highest possible purity:

• mechanical recycling
• physical recycling through selective dissolution
• chemical recycling through solvolysis
• decontamination and compounding
• additive formulation

The project focuses mainly on thermoplastic polymers including PA, PET, PE and PP, while also addressing resin contamination and mixed-material complexity.

Industrial demonstrators

Recovered materials will be validated in real applications such as:

• automotive components
• technical textile multifilaments
• urban furniture profiles

The goal is to convert low-value composite manufacturing waste into recycled raw materials for higher-value industrial uses.

Consortium and funding

The project is led by Solteco, with AIMPLAS as technical leader.

Partners include:

• Birziplastik
• Faperin
• Industrias Alegre
• Eurecat
• Tecnalia
• Leartiker

The initiative is supported by AEMAC and Airbus, which provides real aerospace manufacturing waste.

IMPLICIT is funded by Spain’s Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities through CDTI, with support from the European Regional Development Fund.

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This article is developed based on real engineering experience, machine testing data, and practical production knowledge from Jota Machinery’s work in advanced composite manufacturing.

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Editorial Perspective

IMPLICIT matters because composite sustainability cannot focus only on end-of-life parts.

Manufacturing consumables such as vacuum bags and release films represent a major waste stream that has historically been ignored because it is contaminated, mixed and difficult to process.

By combining mechanical, physical and chemical recycling, the project aims to close a neglected gap in the composites value chain.

If successful, IMPLICIT could help turn composite manufacturing waste from a disposal cost into a source of secondary raw materials for automotive, textiles and infrastructure markets.