FURNITREUSE · Developing innovative method for recycling used chip board furniture and plastics by producing new environment friendly reusable multipurpose composite material

Each year thousands of tons wood based furniture including scrapped particle board and panels end their lives being thrown away by their users. At present there is no effective method for utilizing such waste other then dumping in landfills or incineration. This however means more space on landfills needed for storage of waste or contributes to the global warming by generating carbon dioxide and multitudes of potentially harmful substances released while combusting plates painted with different lacquers and surface varnishes. In parallel, plastics such as ABS used in desktop computers, screens and peripherals pose another challenge for recyclers. Currently after being separated from metal and electronic components they are crushed and milled locally, and then delivered for final recycling. Unlike with other plastics such polyethylene, this method only moves the problem away (often sending them outside Europe) without solving it accordingly. To meet the need it is proposed to blend crushed particle boards and plastics such as ABS in strictly controlled process deploying innovative heating technique to obtain a new type of a composite material. The range of proposed application of the composite material is vast including first applications in transportation (replacement of wood pallets) and garden infrastructure. The proposed process is environmentally friendly as no chemical compounds needs to be added to activate and control it. The early experiments with this new composite material confirmed on its expected physical and mechanical characteristics. It is further foreseen this new composite material will be further recycled as it reaches the end of life time. The use of proposed technology can inevitably change the recycling practices and can generate additional revenue streams for SMEs engaged in recycling sector.