Life Cycle Assessment of White Agglomerated Cork Panels: Environmental Impacts and Waste Reduction Opportunities
摘要
This study presents a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of white agglomerated cork panels, produced by a Portuguese manufacturer from cork by-products. The primary objective is to evaluate the environmental impacts of the product, identify critical stages in the production process, and propose strategies to reduce its ecological footprint. A “cradle-to-gate” approach is employed, which includes all stages from transportation and granulation to packaging, excluding customer transportation and end-of-life considerations due to their variability. The functional unit is defined as 1 m2 of cork panel. The assessment focuses on energy consumption, material inputs, emissions, and waste, using indicators such as global warming potential, resource depletion, and ecotoxicity. The evaluation follows the EN 15804 standards, and the SimaPro v9.0 software is used for data analysis. The results highlight that the use of polyurethane adhesives and energy-intensive processes, such as hot pressing and drying, contribute significantly to environmental impacts, including a Global Warming Potential of 10.54 kg CO2 eq./m2 of panel. The study also emphasizes the advantages of utilizing cork by-products, which support a circular economy by reducing the environmental footprint of cork harvesting. To enhance sustainability, future efforts should focus on improving energy efficiency and reducing reliance on synthetic adhesives.