Press Release From Specialized About Recycling Carbon Fiber

Specialized accelerates carbon fiber recycling program

All companies, retailers and cyclists invited to join in the effort

Thousands of carbon fiber bicycles end up in landfills each year, and
Specialized wants to change that.

Based on existing carbon fiber recycling programs used by the
aerospace industry, Specialized is steering bikes away from the
landfills and back  into usable goods. The California bicycle company
will be doing this by working with bike shops to collect damaged
carbon frames and transport them to a U.S. recycler. The program will
expand to its EU operations as soon as appropriate resources are
identified.

The process of recycling carbon fiber consists of chopping the frame
into smaller sections, then burning off the epoxy that holds the fibers
together in an oxygen-free environment. This results in shorter fibers
with the same properties as the original material that can be used in a
variety of ways.

“You’re probably not going to make a bike from recycled carbon, but you
can make a range of products with the shorter fibers. For example,
Boeing recycles its stabilizer fins into armrests,” said Bryant
Bainbridge, Specialized’s Sustainability Strategist. “Besides keeping
these frames out of the landfill, you’re recovering carbon with
significantly less energy than it took to make virgin material.”

“Specialized is committed to addressing what happens to our bikes at
end of life because it’s the right thing to do. But this program isn’t
about being brand exclusive,” Bainbridge said. “Trek is also doing good
work here and every company in the industry that produces carbon
products is encouraged to join in the effort.”

Going forward, participating Specialized dealers will accept carbon
frames (from any brand) which will be picked up by Specialized and
shipped to Materials Innovation Technology for recycling. Specialized
will report back to the industry at the 2012 Eurobike and Interbike
shows on the number of frames recycled, the amount of carbon fiber
recovered,and what has been learned. “At that time we will make a
formal call for an industry coalition to recycle carbon fiber,”
Bainbridge said. “This is a shared industry problem and one we all
need to address. We are going to pick up the tab now, but we want
everyone on board. This is about collaboration, not egos. Come
Eurobike, we’ll share everything we’ve learned.”


Specialized recently joined the Outdoor Industry Association
Eco-Index working group, and is an active participant in the
creation of a comprehensive system for evaluating and improving a
product’s environmental footprint.

Specialized will contact its dealers in January about the specifics
of how to handle carbon frame returns and the start date for the take
back program.

About Specialized: Specialized was founded in 1974 by riders for riders.
Based in Northern California, we focus on the rider’s need for functional
and technically advanced products that provide a performance benefit.

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