Life cycle assessment of selected maritime pine wood industries in the Landes de Gascogne forest of France

Abstract

Forestry is a vital part of natural systems and has traditionally supplied renewable raw materials for industrial uses and domestic fuelwood. Life Cycle Assessment has become one of the most recognized and internationally accepted method for examining the environmental performance of forest products and processes. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the potential environmental impact associated with different commercial outputs of maritime pine wood (construction wood, pallets, plywood, pellets, unbleached (UB) pulpwood) from the Landes de Gascogne forest. The study showed that pulpwood presented the highest values in all the evaluated impact categories including climate change whilst pellets presented the lowest values. Maritime pine from the first thinning was the hotspot in the construction wood production process, while the nails presented the hotspot for the pallet production process. In the plywood production process, melamine formaldehyde resin was the highest contributor to environmental impacts. Maritime pine from the first thinning was also the hotspot in pellet production whilst heat from steam was the hotspot in UB pulp production. The results of this comprehensive assessment can be used to support environmentally sound decision-making for forest and factory management with regard to the beneficiation of wood.