The association for recycling aeroplanes, AFRA, based in Châteauroux (Central France), is celebrating its third birthday. Since it was created, the dismantling and recycling of planes has progressed constantly.
The number of members has increased by 360%, and the association now has 40 members in the international community of specialist firms dismantling and recycling planes. No less than 50% of grounded planes are parked in airports affiliated with AFRA.
Members of the association specialising in dismantling recycled 30% of civil aircraft taken out of service in 2008, while those who specialise in metal recovery recycled 217,000 tonnes of aluminium used in plane construction and 3,700 tonnes of high-percentage alloys.
Finally, spare-parts companies handled almost 600 tonnes of parts, reconditioning them for sale. The associations good-practice guide is now considered an industry reference for dismantling engines and planes themselves.
“Economic crisis or no, the whole of the aeronautics industry is committed to limiting its environmental footprint,” says Bill Carberry, assistant executive director of AFRA and project leader for recycling of planes and composite parts in Boeing's Commercial Aviation Division. “Every year, over 400 planes are scrapped, a third of those by members of AFRA. So we have a very important role to play in setting an example to the aeronautics sector.” The long-term goal is to increase the volume of recycled aeronautics material from the current 70% to 95% by 2016.