Majid Hussaina, Riffat Naseem Malikb, Adam Taylorc
This study quantified the carbon footprint of particleboard production in Pakistan using a cradle-to-gate life cycle
assessment approach. The system boundary comprised raw materials acquisition, transport, particleboard
manufacture and finished product distribution. Primary data were collected through surveys and meetings with
particleboard manufacturers. Secondary data were taken from the literature. Greenhouse gas emissions from off-site
industrial operations of the particleboard industry represented 52% of the total emissions from the production of
1.0 m3 of particleboard in Pakistan. The on-site industrial operations cause direct greenhouse gas emissions and
accounted for 48% of the total emissions. These operations included energy consumption in stationary sources, the
company-owned vehicle fleet, and the distribution and marketing of the finished product. The use of natural gas
combustion in the stationary and mobile sources, raw material transport and urea-formaldehyde resin production
chain accounted for the highest emissions from the particleboard production chain in Pakistan. The identification of
the major hotspots in the particleboard production chain can assist the wood panel industry to improve their
environmental profile. More efforts are needed to investigate the urea-formaldehyde resin production chain and
substitution of roundwood with wood and agri-residues to assess the potential improvements. In addition, renewable
energy sources should be encouraged to avoid greenhouse gas emissions by substituting fossil energy. This study also
provides a benchmark for future research work to formulate comprehensive greenhouse gas emissions reduction
plans, because no previous research work is available on the carbon footprint of particleboard production in Pakistan