Is GRP a Sustainable Choice?

Yes — more than most people realise.

Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP) is a highly sustainable material, offering significant environmental advantages across its entire lifecycle — from production to installation and beyond. It’s a smarter, greener alternative to traditional materials like steel, concrete, and wood.

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Low Environmental Impact Across the Value Chain​

• Efficient Production: Producing glass fibre requires 75% less energy than steel. The exothermic curing process (which releases heat) makes GRP manufacturing extremely energy-efficient.

• Lightweight Advantage: GRP is up to 75% lighter than steel, meaning it uses 50% less energy during transportation and installation.

• Lower Carbon Footprint: GRP’s CO₂ equivalent is less than half that of concrete and around one-third that of steel.

• Cleaner Manufacturing: GRP production produces minimal harmful by-products. The pultrusion process is fully enclosed, limiting volatile compound emissions. Its resins are derived from by-products of crude oil refining, not primary extraction.

• Long Lifespan: Thanks to high-performance resins, GRP products often last 50+ years — even over 100 years in some cases — without requiring protective coatings or treatments.

• No Harmful Finishes Required: Unlike steel (which needs galvanising or painting) or timber (which requires chemical preservation), GRP is naturally durable and corrosion-resistant — with no added environmental burden.

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100% Recyclable Material

GRP is fully recyclable. According to the European Composites Industry Association (EuCIA), GRP waste can be reused in multiple applications. It’s converted into high-quality fuels, reclaimed fibres, and even used as a raw material in cement production — offering a second life with minimal environmental impact.

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Reducing Our Own Carbon Footprint

At Vital GRP, sustainability is embedded in our operations:

• We encourage car sharing and public transport among our installation teams.

• Fleet tracking helps us optimise travel routes and reduce emissions.

• Material management plans and just-in-time delivery schedules help reduce site deliveries and emissions.

• On-site, we reduce cutting by pre-fabricating materials in-house, limiting the use of diesel generators.

• Where possible, we use electric plant hire and battery-powered tools.

• Our 2D cutting software minimises waste, and off-cuts are repurposed into brackets, stair treads, and more.

 

Environmental Responsibility On-Site

We avoid the use of hazardous materials whenever possible and ensure safe storage, handling, and disposal when their use is unavoidable. GRP dust is controlled using M-class vacuums and extractors, and on-site cutting is kept to a minimum to reduce environmental exposure.

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Our Sustainability Commitment

Vital GRP recognises that our work impacts both the environment and society. We’re committed to assessing sustainability risks, acting responsibly, and making continuous improvements in line with our Environmental Policy — promoting long-term benefits for our business, clients, and the world around us.

 

Download Our Full Sustainability & Environmental Assessment Policy

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