Is dust generated by the wood processing industry of any value? Yes, if it can be turned into a new raw material. New projects aim to recover valuable biomass.
Mirka SHAPE Ecosystem and partners have received Business Finland funding for the R&D project From Dust to Value (D2V) – Circular bio-based residues. Fiberwood’s innovative partnership project, Gray2Green, also received funding.
Mirka has created a unique interdisciplinary SHAPE Ecosystem where it works together with Finnish industrial and research partners to develop new innovative solutions to support the green transition.
The D2V project, part of the Sustainable Materials focus area of the SHAPE ecosystem, aims to develop a sustainable value chain from wood-based side streams to value-added bio-based products such as dispersants, wood adhesives, binders and coatings, thermoplastic biocomposites and fibre-based insulation materials.
Aiming for 100% wood-based raw materials
Fiberwood is committed to plastic-free product development, but there are still small compromises to be made in terms of the bio-based nature of the additives.
“Fiberwood aims to develop the first all-wood-based building insulation material on the market”, says Fiberwood’s CTO Karita Kinnunen-Raudaskoski. “In our Gray2Green partnership, we are working with D2V, but also testing other solutions to get the bio-based process and additives we need for our production.”
Fiberwood has high expectations for the projects.
“We expect nothing but good results, as the participants represent the best knowledge in the industry.”
From Dust to Value partners are Åbo Akademi, University of Turku, University of Helsinki, Montinutra Ltd, Kiilto, GVK Coating Technology Oy, Durat, Cajo Technologies, Woodly and Mirka.
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