Making laminate flooring production circular
A steam explosion process is being used at a pilot plant in Bazeilles, France, to recycle laminate flooring and its primary constituents – medium-density fibreboard (MDF) and high-density fibreboard (HDF). Owned by leading laminate flooring manufacturer Unilin, the plant demonstrates the developed technology’s huge potential, proving that fibres can be extracted and reused with no significant impact on quality and that recycling has economic benefits. The flooring sector is still far from sustainable, with only a small percentage of waste currently being recycled. Laminate flooring and all MDF and HDF products are considered non-recyclable and end up in landfills or are incinerated at the end of their life. This is something that Unilin and its 19 partners participating in the EU-funded CISUFLO project are working to change. They are developing new technologies and products that improve material recovery and are fit for a circular economy.
What is in a laminate
As described in the 2023-2024 Annual Report of CISUFLO project partner European Panel Federation, Belgium, laminate flooring typically consists of an HDF substrate and a decorative surface and wear layer. “On the underside, there’s a balancing layer, with top and bottom layers made of paper impregnated with aminoplastic thermosetting resins,” the report continues, adding that the primary component of laminate flooring is the HDF, which forms its core. “The recyclability of laminate material relies on its ease of disassembly and removal. Presently, laminates exhibit promising recyclability potential, given that they comprise 85% fibreboard, composed of fibres bonded to the material’s core, and enveloped by impregnated decorative papers.”
The recycling technology
Developed to close the recycling loop, Unilin’s technology is based on a thermo-mechanical process called steam explosion, which makes it possible to extract valuable wood fibres from products – in particular laminate floors – that contain MDF or HDF. The fibres are then prepared for reuse and used as a replacement for virgin fibres in an HDF production process. Unilin’s pilot line at its MDF mill in France produces over 1 tonne of recycled fibres per hour. The fibres are then immediately used to produce new MDF and HDF products. The relatively small plant highlights the technology’s advantages: fibres can be extracted and reused without significantly affecting quality, recycling is economically advantageous and that process is more energy-saving than fibre production based on virgin wood. A press release posted on the website of the European Panel Foundation states: “This success refutes the sometimes perceived image of MDF/HDF as being a non-recyclable product and instead demonstrates its circularity, for which European wood-based panels are known.” The CISUFLO (CIrcular SUstainable FLOor coverings) project ends in 2025. For more information, please see: CISUFLO project website
Keywords
CISUFLO, flooring, laminate, floor, fibre, fibreboard, high-density fibreboard, medium-density fibreboard, MDF
