VestGuard UK body armour recycling solutions
What do you do when your personal protective equipment such as body armour reaches the end of its life cycle or is no longer required? As the person responsible for these items, you are faced with the time, trouble and expense of disposing of them properly - in a manner that will prevent illicit use.
With the recent tragedies in the US highlighting the consequences of improper disposal and a raised awareness of the importance of recycling, VestGuard UK ltd (VGUK) has developed services for the assessment, collection, recycling and disposal of bullet resistant vests and similar products.
The problem
With a growing demand for the materials used in the manufacture of body armour the issue of how they are produced and disposed of increases too. This is particularly true of products that have a limited warranty, such as body armour, which must be replaced every five years.
When body armour is no longer serviceable, it has to be disposed of to ensure it isn’t used by accident as this could put the wearer’s life at risk. The usual methods of disposal (incineration, dumping) are ineffective as the materials used in the manufacture of body armour are either fire retardant or inherently fireproof and public landfill sites give access to unauthorized parties. There are also the obvious environmental concerns, caused by disposing materials that are non biodegradable, and the financial implications of disposing of these items – of particular interest to many in today’s market.
The solution
Shaun Ward Vestguards former founder 2000-2011 has the solution as one of the worlds leading designers, manufacturers and suppliers of body armour. In partnership with the largest manufacturers of aramid fibre* we have used our expertise to research and develop cost effective and efficient methods for the recycling and disposal of body armour
The Ballistic Disposal and Recycling Programis tailored specifically for Police departments, Government and Military Agencies throughout the UK. Each of our customers has different requirements and these are considered on a case by case basis. Following an assessment of your items VGUK will arrange for those that have reached the end of their life cycle to be collected. We will notify you as soon as they arrive at one of our UK based facilities. The items are then processed as a matter of urgency and you will be notified once they have been rendered ineffective for their original purpose. Where applicable the processed material is recycled into non-ballistic industrial applications such as brake pads, car tyres and re-enforced concrete.
*Aramid fibre the fibre that body armour is made from; known by the trademark names Kevlar® and Twaron®)
Our mission: As part of Vestguard’s economic and environmental policies, we recognise the benefits of providing services that reuse or dispose of these raw materials in a cost effective and environmentally friendly way. Putting these materials back into the system eases the strain on the market, which currently experiences regular shortages and ensures less impact on the environment by caring for the health of the planet. Recycling material as often as we can, lowers the consumption of oil, energy and raw materials. It also creates less landfill a major contributor to methane, a powerful greenhouse gas
What do you do when your personal protective equipment such as body armour reaches the end of its life cycle or is no longer required? As the person responsible for these items, you are faced with the time, trouble and expense of disposing of them properly - in a manner that will prevent illicit use.
With the recent tragedies in the US highlighting the consequences of improper disposal and a raised awareness of the importance of recycling, VestGuard UK ltd (VGUK) has developed services for the assessment, collection, recycling and disposal of bullet resistant vests and similar products.
The problem
With a growing demand for the materials used in the manufacture of body armour the issue of how they are produced and disposed of increases too. This is particularly true of products that have a limited warranty, such as body armour, which must be replaced every five years.
When body armour is no longer serviceable, it has to be disposed of to ensure it isn’t used by accident as this could put the wearer’s life at risk. The usual methods of disposal (incineration, dumping) are ineffective as the materials used in the manufacture of body armour are either fire retardant or inherently fireproof and public landfill sites give access to unauthorized parties. There are also the obvious environmental concerns, caused by disposing materials that are non biodegradable, and the financial implications of disposing of these items – of particular interest to many in today’s market.
The solution
Shaun Ward Vestguards former founder 2000-2011 has the solution as one of the worlds leading designers, manufacturers and suppliers of body armour. In partnership with the largest manufacturers of aramid fibre* we have used our expertise to research and develop cost effective and efficient methods for the recycling and disposal of body armour
The Ballistic Disposal and Recycling Programis tailored specifically for Police departments, Government and Military Agencies throughout the UK. Each of our customers has different requirements and these are considered on a case by case basis. Following an assessment of your items VGUK will arrange for those that have reached the end of their life cycle to be collected. We will notify you as soon as they arrive at one of our UK based facilities. The items are then processed as a matter of urgency and you will be notified once they have been rendered ineffective for their original purpose. Where applicable the processed material is recycled into non-ballistic industrial applications such as brake pads, car tyres and re-enforced concrete.
*Aramid fibre the fibre that body armour is made from; known by the trademark names Kevlar® and Twaron®)
Our mission: As part of Vestguard’s economic and environmental policies, we recognise the benefits of providing services that reuse or dispose of these raw materials in a cost effective and environmentally friendly way. Putting these materials back into the system eases the strain on the market, which currently experiences regular shortages and ensures less impact on the environment by caring for the health of the planet. Recycling material as often as we can, lowers the consumption of oil, energy and raw materials. It also creates less landfill a major contributor to methane, a powerful greenhouse gas