The aim of the present review is to summarize the current state of research in the field of sustainable bio-based adhesives used for production of eco-friendly wood composite materials. The article is focused mainly on the use of lignin, starch and tannins as raw materials and alternatives to the existing conventional adhesives. It is expected that increased amounts of biobased adhesives will be used in the production of wood composites in order to meet the current needs for development of sustainable and innovative materials which will make the wood-based panel industry more sustainable and lower its dependence on fossil fuels. However, there are still substantial challenges for the complete replacement of petroleum-based wood adhesives with biobased adhesives, mainly because of their relatively poor water resistance, low bonding strength and large natural variations due to different growing conditions. In this respect, fundamental research is still need in order to determine the factors for formulating bio-based adhesives with optimal properties and broaden their application in wood-based panel industry.
Countries are forced to develop bio-based economic strategies to promote efficient use of renewable natural resources. The transition towards a sustainable forest bio-based economy is associated with resource efficiency optimization, adoption of innovative bio-based approaches in terms of technological improvements and cost effectiveness, and an opportunity to reach multiple societal challenges. This paper is focused on a comparative analysis of the forestry sector in the Republic of Bulgaria and the Slovak Republic by estimating the economic efficiency of four Bulgarian state-owned forest enterprises and four Slovak forest enterprises. The evaluation of economic efficiency was carried out using selected indicators of the studied enterprises over a period of five years. A data envelopment analysis (DEA) approach was used as a non-parametric linear technique for measuring the relative efficiency of a set of production decision-making units (DMUs). The Malmquist productivity index (MPI) was used to assess the pure efficiency changes (PEC) and technological changes (TCs) of the studied forest enterprises. Data for 2014–2018 were processed. The results obtained for the economic efficiency study outlined the major factors affecting the differences in efficiency scores. The long-term sustainability and increased economic efficiency of forest enterprises in both countries can be achieved by improvements in forest management and investments in research and development activities.
The enhanced technological possibilities to utilise wood waste and residues in the production of wood-based panels can help towards the transition to a circular, low-carbon bioeconomy. The cascading use of wood resources, defined as “the efficient utilisation of resources by using residues and recycled materials for material use to extend total biomass availability within a given system” is one of the leading principles for achieving this goal. The wood-based panel industry is characterised by significant amounts of waste and residues that present a great volume potential for cascading. The aim of the present study is to define the basic guidelines for cascading use of wood waste from the production of wood-based panels and analyse the economic impact in terms of economic efficiency in line with the circular and bioeconomy principles. Time series analysis of wood waste and raw material flows in the Republic of Bulgaria, economic assessment of the current utilisation of wood waste in the wood-based panel industry along with comparative analysis of the potential utilization methods have been presented. The existing technical and market barriers to the cascading use of wood have also been discussed.
The COVID-19 pandemic caused economic difficulties for companies in forestry as well as significant issues for entities dealing with Chain of Custody (CoC) certification. Global certification schemes, like FSC and PEFC, based on some preventive provisions in their procedural frame, developed new approaches and derogations to maintain quality evaluation and the power of standards. Arising from COVID-19 restrictions, postponed audits (and the extension of the validity of existing certifications) or remote auditing became increasingly common. Based on a survey applied to companies that had CoC FSC audits in 2020, this study aimed at evaluating the perceptions of companies regarding the audits performed under COVID pandemic procedural derogations, along with other research objectives like the continuous investigation of certification drivers or advantages. Companies indicated that the certification bodies explained the characteristics of pandemic-adapted audits and conducted risk assessments before choosing the adapted approach. Almost half of the companies perceived significant differences between the on-site previous audits and the audits performed during the pandemic due to the imposed restrictions and adapted approaches. Additionally, companies found that hybrid or remote audits are not so efficient, and for the future on-site audits are preferred. The study concluded that making the auditing procedures less interactional is not yet a sufficiently mature approach; there is a clear need for better procedures, building online tools usage capacity, to better communicate the specificity of such procedures better, and to better balance the online evaluations with on-site assessments.
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