UKC

The BMC is supporting a pilot project to see if there is a commercial model for recycling climbing ropes and other equipment like helmets and hardware. We're looking for volunteers interested in a career in sustainable business.

Read more at http://www.ukclimbing.com/gear/news.php?id=4662

In reply to UKC Gear:
That's a lot of reading to do only to find out that it's restricted to people in the Manchester area

In reply to UKC Gear: It's an interesting idea which I guess hadn't really crossed my mind. I'm an energy and environmental engineer just about to graduate from an Meng course and recycling is right up my street. Surely though recycling this stuff is the same as recycling anything: metal pro is weighed in, plastics such as in helmets are broken down into their various types and recycled as usual, nylons such as in ropes and slings can be recycled likewise perhaps being sent to a polymer recycle site. Plenty of people specialize in textile recycling. Upcycling over recycling is always beneficial from a product life cycle and energy perspective but this usually only has limited application unless specific end of use characteristics are thought about in the original manufacturing process.