Circular fibreboards

Fibreboards is an engineered wood panel type, which is used extensively in furniture (mainly), flooring, internal fittings and buildings’ insulation. The global production of fibreboards shows an exponential growth since their invention some 40 years ago but unfortunately, there are no industrially mature concepts for recycling fibreboard waste due to the thermosetting amide resins used in the production. Fibreboards are thus made entirely with virgin wood fibres, and as a result the sector is exposed to uncertainties and risks related to the supply of forest materials. To increase resource efficiency and combat the environmental and health pressure against fossil-based adhesives, the project proposes an innovative product design and recyclability concept for circular fibreboards that would allow the use of bio-based adhesives and secondary fibres from recycling in the production chain. Building on promising results in a previous Vinnova-BioInnovation project at TRL 5, the SWEDISH UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES takes the lead to demonstrate the technologies at TRL 6-7 in a system dimensions perspective and in collaboration with a strong team of Swedish and international need owners (IKEA as both a fibreboard and furniture producer, FINSA as a fibreboard producer with state-of-the-art pilot facilities), and solution owners (LANTMÄNNEN as a starch provider, AKZO NOBEL as a resin and adhesive producer, SAPPI as a producer of additives for adhesives).