Airbus launches first global aircraft recycling project in southwest China: Report

Airbus has unveiled its first global aircraft recycling project in aviation hub Chengdu in southwest China, according to state-run Xinhua news agency on Thursday. The Airbus Lifecycle Services Centre (ALSC), with investment of 6 billion yuan ($838 million), aims to improve the recycling rate of aircraft components and materials, so that over 90% of an aircraft by weight can be recycled, Xinhua reported. Spanning over 60 hectares, ALSC is capable of handling a wide array of mainstream aircraft types and providing global distribution channels for the resale of reusable parts from retired aircraft. “The opening of ALSC will become a new highlight in deepening cooperation between China and Europe,” Xinhua quoted George Xu, Airbus executive vice president and Airbus China CEO, as saying Chengdu is actively pursuing the swift advancement of its aviation sector. According to the Sichuan Province Airport Group Co., Ltd., in 2023, the city’s two international airports collectively facilitated over 74.92 million passenger journeys and handled a combined cargo and mail throughput of 771,000 tonnes. As of December 2023, Airbus China predicts that China will emerge as the leading global aviation services market by 2042, anticipating a market value surge to $54.1 billion. With inputs from agencies