PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
Chemical wood preservation methods using creosote or heavy metal salts as well as importation of tropical hardwoods become increasingly under pressure within the European Community. Due to the negative environmental impacts, alternatives are being looked for focusing on preservation techniques and the use of fast growing softwoods. Shell Research Laboratory (The Netherlands) has developed a wood upgrading process to upgrade fast grown low quality wood to tropical hardwood properties. This Providing Lasting Advanced Timber Options (PLATO) process has been developed at lab scale and has, by means of a life cycle analysis, been proved to be advantageous over the current best feasible preservation techniques. PLATO Hout BV demonstrates in this LIFE-project on a pilot scale the technical and economic feasibility of the process. Due to physical treatment, by high-temperature steam followed by a curing step, low-grade wood (poplar, spruce, pine) will be upgraded to a strong, water resistant no-rotting wood (like hardwood) but with a low density. Treatment of marketable wood samples as well as moulding and shaping of treated wood is being investigated. Environmental benefits are reduction of use of preservation chemicals, hardwood replacement and also substitution of plastics and metal products.
OBJECTIVES
Het project poogt naar te bevorderen, lage kwaliteit snelgroeiend hout (b.v. populier, sparren, pijnboom, eucalyptus) te drukken en/of te vormen in hoge kwaliteit, openlucht duurzame houten producten. Het zal ook de technische en economische uitvoerbaarheid van een dergelijk productie procédé en de toepasselijkheid van de houten producten, onder anderen, in bouw en bouwnijverheid, de meubilair industrieën en waterleidingsbedrijven aantonen.
RESULTS
The PLATO process is a process using high temperatures (160-180 C): hydro-thermolysis in an autoclave reactor, drying and curing. According to the Beneficiary, the process is currently able to produce several wood products with a durable and stable mechanical properties. Environmental Benefits TME has realised a Life Cycle Analysis Study (evaluating the environmental impact of the PLATO process) and a Life Cycle Costing study (evaluating the environmental and production costs). In these studies all steps in the life chain of the process (production, transport, use and disposal) have been included. The impact of two PLATO products have been evaluated, a pole and a window frame, and have been compared with current alternatives. Furthermore, a CO2-emission study has been executed by IVAM comparing PLATO wood with CCA wood, meranti, PVC and aluminium. The Beneficiary concluded for both products that the production and application of PLATO wood has one of the lowest environmental impacts, environmental and production costs compared to its alternatives. On CO2-emissions, the PLATO wood is also (one of) the best option(s)The PLATO process is a process using high temperatures (160-180 C): hydro-thermolysis in an autoclave reactor, drying and curing. According to the Beneficiary, the process is currently able to produce several wood products with a durable and stable mechanical properties. Environmental Benefits TME has realised a Life Cycle Analysis Study (evaluating the environmental impact of the PLATO process) and a Life Cycle Costing study (evaluating the environmental and production costs). In these studies all steps in the life chain of the process (production, transport, use and disposal) have been included. The impact of two PLATO products have been evaluated, a pole and a window frame, and have been compared with current alternatives. Furthermore, a CO2-emission study has been executed by IVAM comparing PLATO wood with CCA wood, meranti, PVC and aluminium. The Beneficiary concluded for both products that the production and application of PLATO wood has one of the lowest environmental impacts, environmental and production costs compared to its alternatives. On CO2-emissions, the PLATO wood is also (one of) the best option(s)