An assessment of the GHG Emission by the Production of Kebony Using

PAS 2050

Kebony is softwood that has been modified by impregnation with furfural alcohol
making it much more durable and resistant to decay, as well as harder and more
dimensionally stable than the untreated version. Kebony is denser and hence has
features similar to tropical timber.

The production of kebony utilizes softwood, chemicals, and undergoes stringent

industrial processes with attendant environmental consequences. A study using
PAS 2050 is, therefore, undertaken to assess the potential environmental impact
(carbon footprint) due to the production of Kebony.

Objectives

The overall aim of this assessment is to help Kebony ASA reduces her GHG
emissions. The results of the assessment will also help Kebony ASA to compare
Kebony to its alternatives based on their GHG emissions.

Product

The product to be assessed by this study is Kebony, produced by Kebony ASA at

Skien in Norway.

Methodology

According to PAS 2050, the carbon footprint of a product shall be estimated

following five steps. These steps are:

Step 1: Build a process map

Step 2: Check and set boundaries and prioritization

Step 3: Collecting data (LCI)

Step 4: Calculating the footprint, and

Step 5: Checking uncertainty

Step 1: The process map

Product: Kebony

Functional unit: 1m3

Scope: cradle to gate (B2B), i.e. this exercise is aimed at analyzing the amount
of CO2e emitted in order to produce a 1m3 of wooden board. Environmental
impact due to the use and disposal of the product do not form part of this study.
The following process map is envisaged;

Manufacturew Distribution/
Raw materials Storage
materials Retailing
>> Raw materials >> Manufacture >> Storage/Distribution/Retailing >>
Consumer use >> Disposal/Recycling >>

1: Raw materials for Kebony

Maple from Canada

Logging;

- Fuel for harvesters

- Fuel for transport

- Waste into the environment

Sawing;

- Fuel

- fuel / electricity powered sawmills

- Storage conditions

- Sawn maple from Canada to Norway (transport)

Sugarcane cultivation and bagasse production, Dominican Republic

- Fertilizers
- Fuel for cultivators
- Fuel for harvesters
- Transport after harvest
- Bagasse production

 Fuel / electricity powered sugarcane presses?

Furfural production, Dominican Republic

- Sulphuric acid

- Sodium carbonate and lime

- Heat / electricity?

- Waste bagasse into environment?

 - Furfural storage conditions

- Transport to Belgium

Furfuryl alcohol from Belgium

- Copper catalyst for furfuryl alcohol production

- Hydrogen gas for furfuryl alcohol production

- Propane

- Transport of furfural from Dominican Republic

2: Manufacturing (Furfurylation or Kebonisation)

- Sawn maple from Canada

- Furfuryl alcohol

- Heat

- Electricity

3: Storage / Distribution / Retail

- Warehousing in Porsgrunn

4: Consumer use

- Use in making window frames

 Energy in making window frames

- Maintenance of frames

5: Disposal / Recycling

Step 2: Checking boundaries and prioritization

The system boundary defines the scope for the product carbon footprint, i.e.
which life cycle stages, inputs and outputs should be included in the assessment.

According to PAS 2050, the product life cycle system boundaries should be
consistent with a Product
Category Rule (PCR), where available, as outlined in BS ISO 14025. The data base
for PCRs located at the environmental declaration website indicates that Kebony
is included in the PCR Nr. 2003:8. According to this PCR, in calculating the CF of
wood products, the following processes should be included within the boundary
(see Figure 1);
 - Forest activity

- Sawing

- Recovery

- Crumbling

- Production of glue and its components

- Production of coatings

- Transport of wood materials, glue, coatings to the manufacturer of the

product

- Manufacturing of particleboard (un-coated or coated).

According to the PCR Nr. 2003:8;

The time period for which the LCA results are valid has to be defined.

The boundaries towards nature shall describe the flow of material and energy
resources from nature into the system and emissions from the system to air and
water and waste out of the system.

Building of site, infrastructure, and production of manufacturing equipment and

personnel activities shall not be included.

The boundaries towards other technical systems describe the inflow of material
and components from other systems and the outflow of material to other
systems.
For the manufacturing phase the outflow of waste materials for recycling, heat
recovery, landfill and waste treatment shall be declared without assigning the
environmental impact of the system.

Materiality and Prioritization

To ascertain whether or not a process step in the production of a product will

emits an appreciable amount of green house gases; PAS 2050 requires that a
high-level footprint analysis using estimates and readily available data be done.

For a high-level analysis, we consulted the following earlier LCA reports;

1- LCA report for durable wood, panel and board and design products by
Ecobinders

2- LCI report by Kebony ASA.

According to these two reports, the hot spots in the production of Kebony in order
of magnitude are;

- The manufacturing process in Norway

- The production of furfural alcohol in Belgium

- Furfural production in the Dominican Republic

- Transport

- Logging of maple and harvesting of sugarcane.

Step 3: Data Collection

Raw materials Amoun Unit Source EF CO2e

(including t
transport)
(tCO2e)

Maple 1.05 1m3

-logging -bensin
-diesel
-transport from
field to saw mill
(distance)
-tree waste
-sawing

-bensin
-diesel
-electricity
-tree barks
-Saw dust
 -storage
- Transport to
ware house
(distance) and
fuel consumed
-transport to
Norway
(distance & fuel
consumed)
Furfuryl -Furfural
alcohol transport (Dom.
(Belgium Rep. toBelg)
-Water
)
-Copper
catalyst
-Hydrogen gas
-Propane
-Electricity
-Fossil fuel
-Storage
-Transport to
Norway
Furfural -Bagasse 0
(Dominica - Water
n -Sulphuric acid
Republic) -Sodium
carbonate
-Lime
-Heat /
electricity?
-Waste bagasse
into
environment?
-Furfural storage
conditions
-Transport to
Belgium
Bagasse -Sugarcane
(Dominic -Fuel
an -Fertilizers
Republic -Electricity
) -transport

Kebonizati -Maple
on -Furfuryl alcohol
(Norway) -Heat
-Electricity
-Water