Recycling GRP

[sails_02]

https://www.cruisingworld.com/green-wakes-fiberglass-boat-recycling/

This is great, tricky to coordinate, but necessary as the demand declines for old boats.

Anything similar in the UK?

 

[Tomahawk]

I don't accept their spy ware and tracking.

What are they saying?

 

[sails_02]

I don't accept their spy ware and tracking.

Me neither, I open a container'd tab in Firefox to take a look (but usually avoid the site).

Pretty thin, but essentially:

"The pilot project is currently working with local Rhode Island boatyards to recycle 20 to 30 metric tons of fiberglass, while also partnering with various agencies to create a physical process that meets all local, state and federal health and safety requirements.

This *recycled material will be tested in a specialized cement kiln later this year. Additionally, the RIFVR Pilot Project is conducting a cost-*benefit analysis, researching any legislation and regulations that could be *implemented to support *fiberglass-recycling programs, and carefully *documenting the process."

 

[Motor_Sailor]

Most boats in the States have keels of lead. Typically that means 35 to 40% of the waste (ie the boat) is of high value. Include the mast / engine / rails etc and there is enough money to pay for disposing of the GRP component..

Using cast iron keels in the UK that were neither very heavy nor rust resistant was a stupid idea at manufacture, and now it means there's not enough residual value in the scrap to empty our waters of the unwanted boats cluttering up everywhere.

 

[Tomahawk]

For a long time, I have thought that "dead boats" should be used to make artificial reefs.

GRP wood or whatever, they will all develop a blanket of marine growth on every surface which becomes an ecosystem supporting marine life. GRP is pretty resilient material.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

For a long time, I have thought that "dead boats" should be used to make artificial reefs.

GRP wood or whatever, they will all develop a blanket of marine growth on every surface which becomes an ecosystem supporting marine life. GRP is pretty resilient material.

Unfortunately, GRP is not very dense and would require considerable anchoring to the sea bed. Further, it would erode readily, increasing the burden of microplastic in the ocean. It's an appealing idea, but it wouldn't work. The authors of this project probably have the only viable route for recycling GRP by using it as feedstock for making cement, where the resin will reduce the fuel required and the glass will contribute to the chemistry of cement production.

 

[Tomahawk]

What about if the reefs are made in relatively sedate waters like the East Coast where there are extensive mud banks?

 

[neil1967]

Still doesn't solve the problem of degrading plastic in the sea.....

 

[pvb]

Still doesn't solve the problem of degrading plastic in the sea.....

How much is it going to degrade? We already have 50-60 year old GRP boats floating around happily; their hulls haven't degraded.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

How much is it going to degrade? We already have 50-60 year old GRP boats floating around happily; their hulls haven't degraded.

Reefs need currents to be useful. The seabed is a more active environment than most people brealuze, and the combination of current and sediment will erode GRP much faster than a boat at the surface.

 

[Deleted member 36384]

The material is fairly benign and modern landfill is sealed all round to prevent leaching, hence crushing GRP hulls and burying in landfill appears to be a reasonable disposal method. I think the problem with recycling is that the volumes are not that high, for example in the marinas that I have recently visited, there would be no more that 20 boats in total that appear to be abandoned. Perhaps it's not really a problem and current methods of disposal are suitable.

 

[[70521]]

How much is it going to degrade? We already have 50-60 year old GRP boats floating around happily; their hulls haven't degraded.

You need to think in geological time not human time. Ben Nevis was once the height of Everest and is now only about 1,400 meters above mean sea level.

 

[pvb]

Ben Nevis was once the height of Everest and is now only about 1,400 meters above mean sea level.

That's degraded well, then!

 

[Old Harry]

I see Mr Tydeyman has had lots of airtime, extolling how Fairline were made 50 yrs ago . He does have considerable expertise in yacht design & construction, but not very good at management of yacht construction

 

[Tomahawk]

And what has happened to all that material. It must be polluting the oceans something awful.

And here's a thought.. shouldn't we do something about Etna? It is belching tons of pollutants every day.. We need to fit a flue scrubber to the summit to prevent noxious gases being allowed into the environment.

 

[Tomahawk]

Reefs need currents to be useful. The seabed is a more active environment than most people brealuze, and the combination of current and sediment will erode GRP much faster than a boat at the surface.

Ok, so here's a question..
When rock is eroded down to fine dust and it ends up in the ocean via rivers or the wind, how its it different to glass and (inert) polyester that is equally finely ground down to micro particles?

And how wold making artificial reefs out of degrading GRP boats compare to the millions of tones of various "filler" powders that are used in "essential" products like makeup?