The goal of EcoReFibre is to develop and demonstrate innovative technologies for environmentally sound and commercially viable recycling of fibreboards. Three types of recovered wood materials are being recycled:
● Industrial fibreboard byproducts and wastes, for instance generated during fibreboard production or furniture manufacture
● Post-consumer fibreboards like used furniture
● Post-consumer solid waste wood
These stock materials are processed into fibres and fines. Whereas fibres have an elongated shape, fines are shorter with lower aspect ratios.
Replacing 25 % of virgin fibres
Recovered fibres, combined with virgin wood fibres, are used to make panels like Medium Density Fibreboard (MDF) and High Density Fibreboard (HDF). Additionally, different types of insulation products are made from recycled fibres. EcoReFibre aims at replacing at least 25 % of the wood fibres used in fibreboard production across Europe by recycled fibres. Fines play a role in particleboard production but can also be repurposed into novel products like building blocks, as demonstrated by the project, maximising resource efficiency
How fibreboard recycling can be facilitated
The work on these technologies and methods is complemented by the exploration of promising new business models and the identification of market drivers and barriers. Extensive life cycle analyses will assess the environmental, economic, and social impacts of the technologies, products, and recycling pathways.
To address these objectives, EcoReFibre is organised in 6 work packages and 7 demonstrations: