Global Materials Experts Meet in Sabah to Tackle the Composite Waste Challenge
As industries accelerate the transition towards more sustainable manufacturing, the challenge is no longer just designing stronger and lighter composite materials, but ensuring they can be responsibly managed at the end of their lifecycle. At ACCM 2026 in Sabah, nearly 200 experts from across the Asia-Pacific region explored the innovations, partnerships and circular solutions shaping the future of advanced materials.
Composite materials have become indispensable to modern industry, making aircraft lighter, electric vehicle batteries safer and countless electronic devices more efficient. But their remarkable durability has also created one of manufacturing's biggest sustainability challenges: what happens when these advanced materials reach the end of their useful life?
That question was at the heart of the 14th Asian-Australasian Conference on Composite Materials (ACCM 2026), which brought together nearly 200 materials scientists, engineers and industry leaders from 13 countries at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC) in Kota Kinabalu. Hosted by Curtin University Malaysia, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia and Universiti Teknologi Brunei, the four-day congress explored how the next generation of composite materials can become more bio-based, recyclable and longer lasting.
Supported by the Sabah Convention Bureau (SCB), the event also highlighted Sabah's growing role as a destination for international scientific congresses, demonstrating how knowledge-driven meetings can generate lasting economic, academic and innovation benefits alongside their tourism impact.
"We aren't just looking at how to make materials stronger or lighter anymore; we're asking what happens to them 20 years down the line," said Ts. Dr. Fethma M Nor, Organising Chair of ACCM 2026. "Bringing this level of international expertise together in Sabah allowed us to move past theory and focus on real-world adoption, making sure the next generation of cars, planes and power grids leave a significantly smaller footprint on the planet."
International delegates accounted for 93% of participants, travelling from countries including South Korea, China, Japan and Australia. Beyond filling hotels and supporting local businesses, the conference served as a platform for regional collaboration, with delegates laying the foundations for the ASEAN Society for Composite Materials, a new organisation intended to strengthen joint research and knowledge exchange across Southeast Asia.
Outside the conference programme, delegates explored Sabah's cultural and natural attractions through organised visits to the Mari Mari Cultural Village, the Tun Mustapha Tower, the City Mosque and several of the state's renowned islands and national parks, extending the event's economic impact across the local visitor economy.
Speaking during the conference gala dinner, Sabah Convention Bureau Chief Executive Officer Mdm. Noredah Othman underlined the broader significance of attracting scientific meetings to the destination.
"It is an absolute privilege to welcome such brilliant minds from across the globe to Kota Kinabalu," said Noredah. "Events like ACCM 2026 demonstrate that Sabah is far more than a breathtaking eco-tourism destination, we are a dynamic home for world-class innovation. When international experts gather here to solve global challenges, it inspires our local scientific community and creates a lasting legacy for Sabah."
The conference also marked an important milestone for Malaysia's leadership in advanced materials research. Prof. Mariatti was announced as the incoming President of the Asian-Australasian Association for Composite Materials (AACM) for 2028, while the next edition of ACCM will take place on Jeju Island, South Korea.
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