48 | Panel Perspective: Particleboard recycling
PB RECYCLING INNOVATION
An innovative chemical process developed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP enables the complete recycling of particleboards.
new chemical process developed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP enables the complete recycling of particleboards. In collaboration with the Eberswalde
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University for Sustainable Development HNEE, System 180 GmbH, and PreZero Holz GmbH, the institute has demonstrated that new wood components can be produced without the use of virgin material. The project was funded by the Agency for Renewable Resources FNR through the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Home Affairs BMLEH. Particleboards have become indispensable
in the construction and furniture industries. They offer high dimensional stability, efficient processing, and optimal material utilisation. Until now, however, their lifecycle usually ended with incineration. Fraunhofer IAP’s new chemical recycling process enables 100% reuse of wood-based panels – without adding new wood chips or adhesives.
In the project Recycling of Wood-Based
Particleboards (ReSpan), a comprehensive material recycling concept for wood-based panels was tested. “We take wood from used furniture or building components, shred it, treat it in a novel process with a specially developed recycling agent, and press it into new, dimensionally stable boards,” explained Dr Mathias Köhler of Fraunhofer IAP, who co-ordinated the project. “What makes it special is that the originally used resin adhesive is partially dissolved and specifically reactivated by the agent. About 95% of the recycling agent can be recovered and reused multiple times without losing effectiveness.”
This chemical process has already been successfully scaled up at Fraunhofer IAP’s synthesis pilot plant at the Fraunhofer Pilot Plant Centre for Polymer Synthesis and Processing PAZ. The recycled mass was then processed
by the researchers into particleboards. This step can be carried out using conventional equipment. Together with project partner System 180 GmbH, a furniture demonstrator was produced to showcase the practical applicability of the process. Emission
Above left: Production and assembly of components from recycled material panels to manufacture a demonstrator
Above right: The recycled mass serves as the raw material for pressing new, dimensionally stable particleboards on conventional plants WBPI | October/November 2025 |
www.wbpionline.com
measurements were carried out by HNEE. Further adjustments of the material for construction applications are currently in progress. PreZero Holz GmbH analysed sorting
strategies for waste wood and evaluated the economic feasibility of the process. Pfeifer Holz Lauterbach GmbH acted in an advisory capacity, contributing its expertise in the industrial processing of particleboards. The process developed in the project is particularly suitable for the production of wood-based panels in construction, as well as for furniture manufacturing. System 180 GmbH sees great potential in the method: “For us as a manufacturer of customised furniture solutions, the process opens up new ways to combine sustainable design with functional quality,” said Francesco Coccia, head of marketing at System 180 GmbH. “The use of material boards made from
recycled wood could be an ecological as well as aesthetic advantage in the future,” he added. To transfer and further develop the process for industrial applications, the consortium is actively seeking new project partners: “We particularly invite sorters and recyclers, as well as manufacturers of resins, wood-based panels, or furniture, to participate,” explained Mr Köhler. The pressure on the industry is increasing and building materials and furniture must not only be durable but also recyclable in the future. At the same time, regulatory
requirements for emissions and safety are becoming stricter. Fraunhofer IAP therefore provides targeted support in the development of circular products. “In addition to developing materials and resins and optimising material properties, we also assist companies in meeting regulatory requirements – for example, with regard to low emissions, improved fire properties, or the mechanical strength required for construction applications,” said Mr Köhler. “What was once considered residual
material can now become a valuable raw material for industrial processing – all without virgin material.” “If waste wood can be kept in the material
cycle, the demand for fresh wood can be significantly reduced, making a real contribution to resource conservation,” said Dr Andreas Schütte, managing director of the Agency for Renewable Resources FNR. “The project demonstrates how such
material cycles can be established in the construction sector – a goal we are consistently pursuing with the timber construction and circular economy strategy of the BMLEH.”
The project ReSpan was funded under the FNR call Enhancing Material and Energy Efficiency in Wood Utilization by the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Home Affairs (BMLEH).
It was carried out from June 2021
to December 2024 under funding code 2220HV043. ●
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