Predicting quantity and quality of recovered wood and industrial wood off-cuts in Germany, Sweden, and Finland

Main Presenter:    Vijhay Krisshna Mahenthren 

Co-Authors:   Michael Risse     Gabriele Weber-Blaschke                                          

With the anticipated shortage of primary wood supply and an increase in wood consumption, especially in countries like Germany, there is a pressing need to explore sustainable wood utilization practices that could potentially bridge the gap between demand and supply. The cascading use of waste wood, hereafter referred to as recovered wood and industrial off-cuts in the context of our study, which involves the sequential use of wood resources through multiple life cycles to maximize their utilization, presents a significant opportunity for reducing environmental impacts and contributing to climate change mitigation by prolonging carbon storage. Despite the recognized potential, barriers such as policy constraints, market uncertainties, and technical implementation challenges limit the cascading use of recovered wood and industrial wood off-cuts. Existing studies primarily focus on predicting the quantity of recovered wood but fail to address the quality and yield aspects, which are
crucial for understanding its cascading potential. Moreover, comprehensive predictive analyses specifically dedicated to countries leading in timber production and consumption, like Sweden and Finland, are notably absent. This research aims to fill the gap by predicting both the volume and quality of recovered wood and industrial wood off-cuts in Germany, Sweden, and Finland up to 2050. The study will specifically explore the quantities of usable recovered wood and industrial off-cuts, considering quality aspects and sectoral distribution, to provide a comprehensive perspective on future utilization potentials. The study intends to present a novel approach combining Material Flow Analysis (MFA) and a prediction model to predict the future availability of recovered wood and industrial off-cuts, and its quality distribution in the three countries. By incorporating aspects of wood quality and yield into our predictive model, we aim to offer a more nuanced understanding of the future wood
cascading potential. We anticipate identifying significant volumes of recovered wood and industrial off-cuts that could be reused or recycled, with detailed insights into its quality and suitability for the construction sector. This work is set to contribute valuable foresight into the sustainable management of recovered wood and industrial off-cuts in Germany, Sweden, and Finland, addressing both quantity and quality. Expected outcomes from this study will be vital for policymakers and stakeholders in the timber industry in making informed decisions towards promoting the cascading use of recovered wood and industrial off-cuts, thereby supporting the transition towards bio-based circular economies.

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