Abstract
Originating from furniture scraps, packaging, urban tree pruning, and construction waste, urban wood waste generates surprisingly large annual volumes. Due to its abundance and interesting physical–chemical characteristics for its use, it can be an excellent alternative for generating renewable energy for heat and electricity. In this context, urban wood waste’s physical, chemical, and energetic properties were investigated, proposing alternative environmental routes for its introduction into the urban and industrial electricity sectors. Waste collected in Piracicaba (Brazil) was evaluated for physical and chemical composition, such as moisture, bulk density, particle size distribution, mineral contaminants, immediate chemical composition, chemical composition, and calorific value analysis. The waste studied presented potential characteristics for bioenergy generation, with ash and contaminant contents (such as metallic materials and sand) within the quality thresholds established by the energy sector. Among the waste materials analyzed, plywood, chipboard, wood, and OSB stood out for their high energy density (averaging 2.97 GJ/m3) and low ash content (averaging 1.13%). In contrast, MDF and hardboard exhibited lower calorific values and energy densities due to the wood cooking step in their manufacturing process, which could result in the loss of extractives and volatile materials. When categorizing the residues based on their characteristics, three distinct groups emerged, each associated with MDF, hardboard, or a combination of chipboard, OSB, wood, and plywood. This study’s findings support the creation of public policies aimed at valorizing and reusing urban wood waste, contributing to solid waste management in cities of different countries while sustainably generating energy.
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Acknowledgements
This study was funded by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES – Finance Code 001), Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq - Chamada Universal 18/2021, Chamada de Bolsas no Exterior 26/2021, Bolsa de Produtividade em Desenvolvimento Tecnológico e Extensão Inovadora 08/2022 and Apoio a Projetos Internacionais de Pesquisa Científica, Tecnológica e de Inovação 14/2023) and Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa e Inovação do Espírito Santo (FAPES – Chamada Universal 03/2021, Chamada Universal 28/2022, Taxa de Pesquisa 02/2023 and Programa de Capacitação de Recursos Humanos na Pós-Graduação 12/2021).
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CRA, JOB and AFDJ contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection and analysis were performed by CRA, JOB and AFDJ. The first draft of the manuscript was written by CRA, GFMC, AMS and AFDJ, and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. The final review of the manuscript was conducted by CRA, GFMC, AMS, JOB, WWCM, BMB, DS and AFDJ. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
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Andrade, C.R., Cupertino, G.F.M., da Silva, Á.M. et al. The potential of wood-based urban waste to generate bioenergy and increase the energetic sustainability. Clean Techn Environ Policy (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10098-024-02775-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10098-024-02775-5