Environmental Impact Assessment of Waste Wood-to-Energy Recovery in Australia

Abstract

Wood is a renewable material that can store biogenic carbon, and waste wood can be recycled to recover bioenergy. The amount of energy recovery from the waste wood can vary depending on the type of wood and its chemical and structural properties. This paper will analyse the life cycle environmental impact of energy recovery from waste wood, starting from the wood production stage. These are cradle-to-cradle systems, excluding the use phase and the waste collection phase. The types of waste wood considered in the current study are softwood, hardwood, medium-density fibreboard (MDF), plywood, and particleboard. The results showed that all waste wood has great potential to produce energy while reducing climate change impact. Hardwood and softwood products showed the most beneficial aspects in terms of energy recovery from waste wood and thus could help to reduce harmful environmental emissions. However, MDF and particleboard show the least potential for energy recovery as they contribute to the greatest emissions among all types of wood products. The outcomes of this study could be used as guiding principles for Australia to consider waste-to-energy recovery facility establishment to generate additional energy while reducing waste wood.