New Environmental Approach Based on a Combination of Planetary Boundaries and Life Cycle Assessment in the Wood-Based Bioadhesive Market

Abstract

The role of the bioeconomy based on the use of renewable resources and also on the valorization of bio-based waste could contribute to a higher degree of sustainability. In this sense, biobased processes and products should exhibit values for indicators that demonstrate and outperform their competing counterparts. To this end, it is essential to apply a methodology to conduct the assessment of environmental impacts and potential damages at a global level. Life cycle assessment (LCA) has proven to be a suitable method to study the environmental profiles and damage scores of products and/or processes within their life cycle. In this regard, LCA impact scores are transformed into planetary boundary (PB) values, for which a threshold has been previously established. This has been the focus of this article, in which the environmental sustainability ratios of different bioadhesive scenarios have been evaluated under the combined framework of PBs and LCA for wood-based bioadhesives following different allocation approaches based on egalitarian, utilitarian, and grandfathering principles. In this way, it has been possible to assess the potential of bioadhesives to replace synthetic resins in the wood-based panel production chain. The results obtained show some variability in the environmental profiles and indicators, but it is possible to conclude that the bioadhesives selected can be considered as sustainable alternatives. However, improvements are required in certain PB categories, such as climate change or biogeochemical flows, as in some cases, the threshold value is exceeded. Future research should focus on two strategic lines: the application of guidelines for the evaluation of environmental sustainability at the planetary level and the optimization of bio-adhesive production to reduce their impact with the aim of achieving a more adequate sustainability ratio.

Multiperiod Two-Stage Stochastic Programming of Supply Chain for Co-Processing System of Bio-Oil and Heavy Oil

“…Fossil energy depletion and global warming are the two largest challenges for further development . Bioenergy, as the only carbon-containing renewable energy, its utilization can be regarded as a potential energy to replace fossil energy and decrease CO 2 emission . Because a biorefinery has a larger capital investment and biomass raw materials have a higher price, biofuels are more expensive than petroleum-based fuels .…”

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Green Strategy for Improving the Formation of Reconstituted Wood-Based Composites

“…As a natural material with excellent mechanical performances, wood has been widely used in various aspects of human life. , Currently, novel wood-based products continue to be developed and introduced in the construction marketplace, spurred by the globally increasing demand for sustainable and economical housing . However, the orthotropic property and the deformation caused by moisture change bring some obstacles to the utilization of this material. − In order to overcome the negative influence of orthotropy of wood, a method involving reconstituting wood with an adhesive after its fragmentation was invented.…”