Project description
Revolutionising the wood panel industry with non-toxic, eco-friendly resins
The formaldehyde-based polymer resins used as binders in the construction and wood industries are toxic, carcinogenic, non-recyclable and have a large CO2 footprint. Until recently, there were no safe, bio-based and cost-competitive alternatives available. A new resin called Plantics-GX could replace the toxic and polluting products currently on the market. This resin is 100 % bio-based, recyclable, cost-efficient and free of formaldehyde and other toxic components. It also has a carbon footprint that is five to seven times lower than existing resins. The EU-funded SWOP project aims to realise and accelerate the market entry of wood panels that use Plantics-GX as a binder. The project will help to stimulate the European economy while also furthering health and environmental goals.
Objective
Across huge industries, like the construction and wood industry, formaldehyde-based polymer resins are used in large volumes as binders to keep together materials and components to produce stable and durable products. Such oil-based based resins, however, pose a large societal and environmental burden, as these are toxic, carcinogenic, non-recyclable, and have a large CO2 footprint. Due to increased problem recognition and recently introduced regulations, these industries actively seek for alternatives. However no safe, bio-based and cost-competitive resins are currently available that meet the functional requirements for a strong and durable material,.. until now. Plantics B.V. has developed Plantics-GX, a strong, 100% bio-based, recyclable and safe (no formaldehyde or other toxic components) alternative with a carbon footprint that is 5 to 7 times lower compared to existing resins. Plantics-GX is a biopolymer of which the raw materials are abundantly available, at low cost, making production of Plantics-GX cost-competitive to existing oil-based resins. It is ready to replace toxic and polluting resins, starting with binders in the wood industry. The SWOP consortium, consisting of 3 industrial parties and 1 NGO, has been established to realize and accelerate market entry of revolutionary GX-wood panels with Plantics-GX used as a binder. As a result of this project, these wood panels will be commercialized by Koskisen Oy, Finnish market leading wood manufacturer, and used by Triboo B.V. Dutch circular furniture manufacturer, to commercialize formaldehyde-free kitchens. WOOD.BE a Belgian research and advice organisation in the wood industry, will perform studies to measure the health and environmental effects of a shift to using Plantics-GX. This two year project will accelerate market entry (2022), stimulate the European economy and while doing so address European health and environmental goals.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques.
- natural scienceschemical sciencesorganic chemistryaldehydes
- social sciencespolitical sciencespolitical policiescivil societynongovernmental organizations
- natural scienceschemical sciencespolymer sciences
- agricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesforestry
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Funding Scheme
IA - Innovation actionCoordinator
6827 AV Arnhem
Netherlands
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.