36 | Panel Perspectives: Honext
industry with its waste, its paper sludge, OCC and the vocabulary of up-cycling and enzymes!
Sludge is a generic term for the residue that results from pulp and paper-making. To better understand its properties, it is necessary to review how it is formed. Generally, it is the solid residue recovered from the wastewater stream of the pulping and paper-making process. Water treatment facilities for the paper
industry produce a significant amount of filtration residue and ways of disposing of the industrial paper sludge generated in the production process need to be found. If we look at the global pulp and paper industry in 2021, it is estimated that more than 7 million tons of paper sludge must be disposed of, with the majority of this currently going to landfill. OCC (old corrugated cardboard) paper
are box materials that are commonly used for packing electronic and all sorts of consumer goods and typically after buying, the consumer disposes of the material for recycling. With the move towards ever increasing online shopping, the volumes of OCC are growing exponentially across Europe and elsewhere. It is a huge resource too.
Within the MDF sector the challenge has been for many years the question of ‘what else can we do with the fibre?’ and ‘how can we add value?’ With fundamental technology developments and long-term research into adhesives and additives, boards of various densities evolved and with varying technical properties such as, for example, moisture resistant, flame retardant, exterior and formaldehyde free. And, of course, with these developments came multiple market opportunities internationally and a widely extended range of applications and end uses.
Top: HONEXT panels production pilot plant in Vacarisses, Spain. PHOTO: MARTA RIERA
Centre: HONEXT panels ready to be installed as wall cladding and acoustic panelling. PHOTO: ENRIC BADRINAS Above: Outside of the pilot plant. PHOTO: MARTA RIERA
WBPI | October/November 2021 |
www.wbpionline.com
UPC RESEARCH Enter now UPC Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya in Barcelona. The UPC is a public university that carries out research and provides higher education in the fields of architecture, engineering, sciences, and technology. The university claims to be for people who want to imagine the future and move the world (
https://www.upc.edu/en). After more than 10 years research there since 2011, HONEXT – a spin out company emerged from the University – brings with it a revolutionary waste reclaiming process that turns cellulose residue from the pulp and paper industry into a fully recyclable, construction ready material. By analysing, sorting and classifying waste, based on its composition, it has proved possible to achieve a standard product. Depending on its quality, HONEXT uses 50-75% paper sludge and 25-50% of cardboard waste as the raw material base.
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