• The carbon fibre market is a massive industry worth $5.5 billion.
• The EU says carbon fibre particles can irritate skin and could become airborne.

The European Union (EU) is set to frame laws banning carbon fibre by 2029, citing its environmental consequences.

Carbon fibre is widely used by car manufacturers as an essential component, and now, for the first time, the EU is classifying it as a hazardous material.

The material is predominantly used in sports cars and electric vehicles as it is lightweight, improves vehicle performance, and uses less energy. However, a new proposal from the European Parliament to add carbon fibre to the list of restricted materials due to its potential health risks to humans is causing a stir in the automobile industry.

According to EU policymakers, carbon fibre particles irritate human skin and could become airborne, particularly during the recycling of a car at the end of its life.

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The new amendment will be made to the End-of-Life Vehicles Directive, which governs the recycling and disposal of old vehicles in Europe. Once the law is passed, manufacturers will be required to remove carbon fibre from their entire production process by 2029.

The announcement has already ruffled some feathers. Stock prices of leading Japanese carbon fibre manufacturers, including Teijin, Toray Industries, and Mitsubishi Chemical, have seen a massive drop, as they supply about half of the global carbon fibre, with European carmakers purchasing a large share from them.

Some top luxury and electric vehicle brands—Ferrari, BMW, Hyundai, Lucid, and Tesla—might have to deal with production challenges, as they hinge on carbon fibre for performance and efficiency.

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The new proposal is likely to face strong opposition from the automotive and aerospace sectors, given that the carbon fibre market was a $5.5 billion global industry in 2024, and car manufacturers have the clout to influence the law.

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Source: Motor1.com