Chapter 1 - Introduction to waste biomass processing and valorization

Abstract

Forest and pulping industry and agriculture produce large amounts of waste biomass. Global annual generation of biomass waste is estimated to be around 140 Gt. Main types of waste biomass are wood and agricultural products, solid waste, and landfill municipal wastes. There are several options for waste biomass valorization, such as conversion of waste biomass to functional materials or composites. The use of waste biomass for electric power or energy (fuels) is widely reported. In addition to traditional energy use, waste biomass can be used to produce polymers, chemicals, and construction materials. Management of waste biomass is normally done by mechanical, biological, thermal, and/or chemical treatments or combination of these. However, waste biomass is a heterogeneous material, which presents significant management problems and can have even negative environmental impacts. Sustainable biomass processing requires to include technoeconomic, societal, and environmental aspects in foremost priority. This chapter introduces the processing of lignocellulosic and agricultural waste biomass into diverse value-added products along with their pros and cons.