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36 TECHNOLOGY SEP/OCT 2024 FDM ASIA | www.fdmasia.com

Płyta wiórowa wood waste.
The composition of wood waste, presented in percentage
terms, is as follows: sawn wood (approximately 83%), wood-
based materials (9%), and roundwood (8%). Additionally, used

wooden windows and doors comprise 15 percent of the waste.
The cost of fresh wood material is increasing, and a future
shortage is anticipated, highlighting the potential economic
impact of Poland’s annual generation of three million cubic
metres of post-consumer wood waste.
Wood byproducts were also examined. In 2015, the potential
volume of wood by-products generated in Poland’s wood
of managing energy recovery from waste, especially from sector surpassed 13 million cubic metres, with 61 percent
the wood sector, to reduce raw material consumption and used directly within the industry for production and energy.

promote economic growth.
A common practice has been to burn wood waste for energy, Examples Of Using Window Frames For Producing
but this is not the most efficient use of a raw material that Particleboard
often still holds significant value, when it comes to recycling One example explores the use of 30-year-old window frames
and disposal of used wood and wood residues. for producing three-layer particleboard. These studies utilised
An alternative to burning wood is generating energy from it window frames made of (Pinus sylvestris L.), including both
in a steam generator, producing pellets, or producing biofuel, painted and cleaned frames.

such as ethanol. Wood composites can be recycled through The research investigated how frame density, adhesive
various methods, including mechanical, thermo-hydrolytic, quantity, and paint presence affect the particleboard’s strength
hydrothermal, and chemical processes, or a combination of properties.
these techniques. Contaminants such as nails and screws were removed,
The biggest challenge in wood recycling is the presence and the frames were shredded and sorted appropriately.
of chemical contaminants, such as wood preservatives, paints, The findings revealed that removing paint from the wood
and adhesives, which are difficult to remove mechanically from particles notably improved the mechanical properties of the
wood waste. For this reason, wood waste is often stored particleboard.
rather than recycled. Although paint enhanced surface roughness, it negatively

Disposing of wood waste is challenging due to organic impacted mechanical strength. Panels from painted particles
and inorganic preservatives, which significantly limit recycling exhibited higher density but reduced strength due to less
options. effective adhesive bonding.
Every year, European countries generate an estimated The study demonstrated that waste from Scotch pine
19 million tonnes of rubbish, 60 percent of which ends window joints holds substantial potential as a raw material
up in landfills, from various commodities such as furniture, for particleboard production.
mattresses, upholstery, textiles, and plastic garden products. It highlighted that while increasing density and adhesive

A study shows that 2030 wood supply may not satisfy amount enhances particleboard properties, the presence of paint
European demand. Analyzing the amount of post-consumer and the absence of hydrophobic substances can adversely