Potential Environmental Benefits of Ultralight Particleboards with Biobased Foam Cores

Christelle Ganne-Chédeville,Stefan Diederichs

doi:10.1155/2015/383279

Abstract

A new generation of ultralight particleboards (ULPB) with an expanded foam core layer produced in an in-line foaming step is under development. The environmental impacts of three types of ULPB containing foam based on 100% polylactic acid (PLA), 100% expanded polystyrene, and 50% PLA/50% polymethyl methacrylate, as well as a conventional particleboard (PB), have been compared in an LCA. Two approaches were chosen for the assessment: first, the “EPD-approach” in accordance with EN 15804 for EPD of building materials and second, a holistic-approach which allows an expansion of the system boundaries in order to forecast the consequences of a broader replacement of PB with ULPB. The results show that most of the environmental impacts are related to raw materials and end-of-life stages. Both approaches show that the exchange of PB with ULPB with a foam core based on PLA leads to a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. On the other hand, the PLA is responsible for higher ecotoxicity results in comparison to non-bio-based polymers mainly due to agricultural processes. Both approaches allowed the drafting of complementary advisories for environmental impact reduction addressed to the developers.

Highlights

Particleboards (PB) are pressed panels made out of wood particles and adhesives
In this study we show only the EN 15804 [29] environment category indicators following CLM2001 [36]: Global Warming Potential 100 years with biogenic carbon accounting following EN 16485 (GWP), Global Warming Potential without biogenic carbon (GWP∗), Ozone Depletion Potential steady state (ODP), Acidification Potential (AP), Eutrophication Potential (EP), Photochemical Ozone Creation Potential (POCP); Abiotic Depletion Potential Elements (ADPE), Abiotic Depletion Potential Fossil (ADPF)
We present the results of two additional multi-criteria Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) methods of interest in Switzerland: Ecological Scarcity 2006 [37] expressed in Eco-factors-in German: Umweltbelastungspunkte (UBP) and USETox fate and freshwater ecotoxicity [38], expressed in Comparative Toxic Unit ecotoxicity (CTUe)

Summary

Introduction

Particleboards (PB) are pressed panels made out of wood particles and adhesives They typically consist of a lower density core layer of coarse particles and high density surface layers made with finer particles. They typically have a density of 600–700 kg/m3 and are used in very diverse applications like home and office furniture, cabinets, kitchens, flooring, load bearing applications in construction and diverse interior design elements. They show an improved homogeneity and stability in comparison to solid timber. With the ambition of reducing production costs, the wood based panel industry aims to use less or cheaper materials and to reduce energy consumption while maintaining the properties in accordance with the relevant product standards

Methods

Discussion

Conclusion