From Waste to Resource: Exploring a Novel Approach to Wood Waste Recycling

Wood waste, a valuable and abundant resource, has significant potential for cost-effective energy recovery and the production of new materials. Nearly half of Europe's wood waste is recycled into particleboard and fiberboard, with the remaining portion being incinerated. The authors research explores an innovative approach to utilizing wood waste by producing cellulose pulp through organosolv treatment. The aim is to identify the optimal combination of three variables—temperature, acid concentration, and ethanol/water ratio—to maximize cellulose content and recovery in the final pulp. Previous study by the authors milled wood waste to 1 mm and identifying an optimal treatment point. In this paper, we propose using a larger dimension of 4 mm for milled wood waste to reduce milling energy consumption. Additionally, we compare the cellulose pulp composition and recovery results at specific treatment points with those obtained in previous research. This paper represents a step forward in a larger project aimed at exploring alternative uses for wood waste.