Dope1: Speaking of wind turbines, are those easy to dispose of?

Around 96% of a wind turbine is made from recyclable materials. Their outer shell, shafts, gearing and electrical components are typically made from steel, copper, aluminum, other precious metals and recyclable plastics.

There are more than 8,000 parts to one wind turbine and they can have an operational lifespan of up to 25 years (most last around 20-25 years). They can mostly be recycled at the end of this working life and have increasingly been made from reused materials that have already been recycled.

The blades are made from different materials, most of which is fiberglass. The average blade on a typical onshore wind turbine measures around 165ft (50m) in length. However, there is a growing trend for taller turbines – often found offshore at sea – with blade spans of anywhere up to 260-290ft (80-90m) in length.

Fiberglass is not totally recyclable. It’s non-biodegradable and made up of a composite of very fine strands of plastic and glass, which is extremely difficult to process at the point of recycling. Instead, it’s usually discarded as waste at landfills or incinerated.

However, while most first-generation commercial blades are being treated as waste, not all of them are destined for landfill. There are several innovative ways their raw materials are recycled to be used in other building materials or repurposed entirely in new structures.

Engineers and scientists have found a way to turn fiberglass into a key component used in the production of cement – an important material used in everyday construction.

engie.com - Recycling wind turbines

blog.ucsusa.org - Wind turbine blades recycling