The Circular Fish Farming Nets (CFFN) project in which nylon netting is recycled in a manner that maintains all of the strength and other qualities of virgin material is up for the Aquaculture Awards 2024. The success of the project, due to be tested at full scale for a normal cycle of usage, has far-reaching implications for the fishing gear and aquaculture equipment sectors.
Financed by the Norwegian Retailers Recycling Fund, the CFFN is a collaboration between Hampidjan Group, Nofir, Aquafil, Akva Group and Grieg Seafood and explores the introduction of 100% recycled nylon as a one-to-one replacement for virgin nylon.
The key to this recycling method that the CFFN project explores is the depolymerisation of end-of-life nylon that has been practiced for years by Aquafil, one of the project partners. This is a chemical process that disassembles the polyamide back into a base oil that can be used to create new PA6 polymers.
‘This process creates a new feedstock for fibre production that is now being utilised for the first time in the production of fibres in the quality and strength that the aquaculture industry requires,’ a Hampiðjan representative commented.
This has the potential to be transformative for the future sustainability of the aquaculture and fishing sector, and presents for the first time alternatives to disposing of end-of-life fishing and aquaculture gear as landfill, or processed via mechanical recycling that results in a usable but inferior product in terms of strength and other qualities, as well as having a number of other downsides.
‘The CFFN project is an exciting opportunity for Hampidjan Group to offer its customers a circular product with a major savings in carbon emissions through the entire value chain of nylon. It will also be a guideline for what is possible in this sector through co-operation across the industry,’ Hampiðjan states.
‘Hampidjan Group will, in close cooperation with its subsidiaries Hampidjan Baltic, Vónin, and Mørenot, produce one full-sized aquaculture cage and as will Akva Group. Fibers and netting will be vigorously tested to demonstrate the ability of the recycled material to match the performance of “virgin” nylon. The full cages will then be used at Grieg Seafood sites for a full normal cycle.’
