Utilization of construction and demolition waste for particleboard production

Construction and demolition waste (CDW) is a worldwide increasing problem due it high volume and diverse composition. Recycling can be an important management strategy for such waste, especially for woody materials present in CDW. Therefore this study aim to evaluate the use of recycled CDW wood particles on the manufacture of particleboards. The particles were generated and divided according to their source material: MDF, MDP, plywood, timber, and the mixture of the four residues in equal parts. Each waste material was mixed in different proportions (25% and 50%) with pine particles produced by a particleboard industry. The particleboards physical (water absorption and thickness swelling) and mechanical (modulus of rupture, modulus of elasticity, internal bond and screw withdrawal) properties were determined. Non-destructive test by stress wave machine were also used to characterize the panels. The internal bond results of all treatments met the regulatory requirements, indicating that there was adequate bonding between the particles from any CDW woody material. Therefore, all residue tested show potential for the use in core layer of MDP. The addition of residues improved the prediction of non-destructive testing. Finally, the addition of 25% of MDP, plywood or timber residue to the control particles didn't affect the physical and mechanical properties of the panels produced.