New research seeks to leverage aircraft and automotive waste for high-value products | from El Semanal
New research under the COMPASS project is exploring how to transform end‑of‑life waste from aircraft and automobiles into high‑value products. As part of this Horizon Europe initiative, AITIIP Technology Centre applies its expertise in materials to recover components like metal sheets and thermoplastic composite panels which otherwise often end up in landfills.
A consortium of 13 European partners is developing advanced dismantling, recovery, and remanufacturing technologies. They are also creating a Digital Product Passport to record detailed lifecycle data for each component — facilitating traceability, quality control, and reuse across the value chain.
By applying data-driven remanufacturing methods, COMPASS aims to reduce up to 30% of waste generated in production and end-of-life phases. Economically, the project expects to unlock significant value: around €60 million/year in recovered metal and €500 million/year in composite materials by 2035.
In COMPASS, AITIIP leads innovations in remanufacturing high-performance thermoplastic composites, focusing on techniques such as pressing, heating, and tooling to reshape used panels into new components. Through this collaborative effort, AITIIP and its partners are contributing to a circular‑economy model that extends the life of materials, minimizes environmental impact, and promotes sustainable industrial practices.