Some call them wind turbines, others say windmills, but across Ohio, there are 302 of them. Have you ever wondered what happens to parts of those machines when they aren't used anymore? Usually, they're broken down or sent to a landfill, but one local business found a more sustainable way to use the scraps.
“It is very exciting to present this new product to community members. These will provide some seating in areas that we haven’t had before and replace some benches that were becoming unsafe due to rust and cracking,” Parks Superintendent Steve Yoder said. “I also love the QR code option on each bench that will not only explain how the bench is made but also highlight things going on in our amazing community."
This company turns old wind turbine blades into street furniture. From shaded benches, to picnic tables and planters that double as hangout spots. Start-up Canvus collects waste wind turbine blades from wind farms...
What to do with fiberglass composite wind blades at their end of life (EOL) is a challenge many are working on across the supply chain. Canvus Inc. (Rocky River, Ohio, U.S.) is one company turning wind blades and other upcycled materials into creative and functional, community-centered outdoor furniture products.
All over the world, wind turbines are generating clean, renewable energy.
But when they reach the end of their useful life, the giant fiberglass blades often end up as trash.
Have you seen those giant wind turbines across the country? Ever wondered what happens to the blades when they have to be replaced? They can be recycled! Take a listen to our guest, Brian Donahue, with Canvus, a company who manufactures furniture out of old wind turbine blades. You may have some of these awesome structures in your community right now. What an awesome combination of STEM, ART, and recycling.
The term ‘Upcycling’ is a relatively modern one. Coined in the early 1990’s, upcycling has been the vehicle for trending techniques and styles across multiple industries. Fashion, furniture, design, there are few areas in which upcycling has reached. In the construction world, it is a concept that is gaining traction also.
The unique structures come from different cross-sections of the fiberglass blade, and the seating and tabletop materials are from various sources, including composite lumber made of recycled plastics, rubber made from recycled tires and shoes, and mixed plastics from carpet and plastic waste...
Brian Donahue, managing partner of Canvus, thinks about his company's manufacturing facility as a kind of Willy Wonka's chocolate factory...
