COMPOSITE RECYCLING LIMITED

Their core work

Composite Recycling develops a proprietary molten zinc reactor technology for recycling difficult-to-process waste streams. Their core innovation uses molten metals and salts to break down composite materials — tyres, printed circuit boards, and plastics — into reusable raw materials. The company has progressively applied this single core technology to different waste feedstocks, moving from tyre rubber to e-waste to plastic-to-oil conversion. Based in Cork, Ireland, they are a technology SME focused on commercializing their reactor process.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

Composite Recycling shows a clear progression in applying their molten zinc reactor to increasingly valuable waste streams. Early work (2015-2017) focused on proving feasibility for tyre recycling and then e-waste PCB recovery. By 2019, they shifted toward a market-oriented output — producing synthetic oil from plastic waste — suggesting a move from waste processing R&D toward a commercially scalable product.

Moving from proving their reactor works on different waste types toward commercializing a single high-value output (synthetic oil from plastics), suggesting they are approaching market readiness.

How they like to work

Composite Recycling operates as a solo applicant — all three projects were SME Instrument Phase 1 feasibility studies with no consortium partners. This is typical of early-stage technology SMEs testing commercial viability before seeking larger partnerships. Working with them would likely mean engaging a small, founder-driven team with deep knowledge of their specific reactor technology but limited experience in multi-partner EU consortia.

No consortium network detected. All three H2020 projects were solo SME Instrument Phase 1 applications with zero partners across zero countries.

What sets them apart

Their distinctive asset is a single core technology — the molten zinc reactor — that they have demonstrated across three different waste feedstocks. Few SMEs can claim a platform technology applicable to tyres, e-waste, and plastics simultaneously. For a consortium needing a waste-processing technology partner with a proven reactor concept, they offer a versatile solution, though their lack of Phase 2 funding means the technology has not yet been validated at scale under H2020.

Highlights from their portfolio

• SynOil
  Their most recent and commercially-oriented project, targeting synthetic oil production from plastic waste — a direct product with clear market demand.
• TyRec process
  Their foundational project establishing the molten zinc reactor concept, claiming whole tyre recycling in 30 minutes — an ambitious performance target.