5. Summary assessment of environmental relevance

While plywood mills process high-quality round timber, chipboard and fibreboard are the result of the value-adding utilisation of different wood varieties, some of which are low grade.

Gaseous emissions represent further harmful environmental impacts of chipboard and fibreboard plants, the main principal hazardous substance being formaldehyde. By contract, bonding with phenolic resins and diisocyanates help reduce emission values. One exception, in terms of emissions, is the manufacture of adhesive-free fibreboard.

Gaseous emissions from wood shaving driers have few environmentally harmful properties, especially in the case of hardwood, although the intensity of the odours produced constitutes a nuisance. The same siting criteria apply as for sawmills.