GlassCircle Project Final Conference: Advancing Sustainability in the Glass Fibre Industry

12 December 2024

In September 2024, the GlassCircle project celebrated its successful conclusion with a Final Conference held in Riga and online. The event brought together experts, industry leaders, researchers, and policymakers to discuss innovative approaches to reducing waste and fostering a circular economy in the glass fibre sector.

The conference featured a diverse lineup of speakers presenting practical solutions and groundbreaking research that showcased the potential of circular economy principles in the glass fibre industry.

Key Highlights:

Expert Presentations
Renowned speakers from across Europe shared their insights, research findings, and success stories in promoting sustainability within the industry. The topics covered ranged from lifecycle assessments to real-world reuse and recycling practices.
Interactive Discussions
Attendees had the opportunity to engage with speakers and discuss challenges and opportunities in adopting circular economy practices.
Innovative Case Studies
A particular highlight was the collaboration with Olympic medalist Mārtiņš Rubenis, demonstrating the practical application of recycling glass fibre residues in sled manufacturing.

Agenda, Presentations, and Video Recording

The agenda for the conference and materials shared by speakers who permitted their publication are now available:

Agenda: Download the Agenda
Speaker Presentations:
- Līva Pupure, GlassCircle Project Coordinator: Introduction and GlassCircle presentation
- Viktoria Voronova, Tallinn University of Technology: LCA as a Practical Tool for Environmental Impact Assessment
- Liina Kanarbik, Tallinn Municipality: Strategic framework: reusable dishes and public events in Tallinn
- Augustin Hueso and Maria Bohic, Former Students at Luleå University of Technology: Giving Boats Manufacturing Waste a New Life and Sailors More
- Uldis Skrebs, AJ Power: Tire and Textile Sorting in Latvia: Reuse and Recycling Practices
- Anders Holmberg, Hitachi Energy: Waste management challenges with wet filament winding
- Līga Bieziņa, Valmiera Municipality: Results of Survey on Glass Fiber Residue
- Anders Sjögren, Department of Design Sciences, Lund University: Recycling of fibre composites
- Pirjo Pietikäinen, Finnish Plastics Industries Federation: Composite Recycling in Finland
- Alann Andre, Research Institutes of Sweden (RISE): Managing End-of-Service Composite Structures – Case Studies on Repurposing
- Aizea Astor Hoschen, European Waste Management Association: Post-Election Europe: A Clean Industrial Deal for a Sustainable, Competitive, and Circular EU
Video Recording: Watch the recording, including contributions from speakers who allowed their sessions to be shared: Conference Video Recording

Moving Forward

The GlassCircle project’s Final Conference marked the culmination of significant efforts to create practical tools and foster collaboration for a more sustainable glass fibre industry. While the project has formally concluded, its impacts will resonate in ongoing initiatives, including the recently launched CompositeCircle project.

Stay connected for updates on further developments and explore the database and tools developed through GlassCircle on our project website.

Join us in making the glass fibre industry greener and more sustainable.