Four types of industrial waste from wood processing, namely a mixed hardwood-softwood powder, pine and beech sawdust, and bark were liquefied and tested as binders for particleboards (PB) made of recycled wood. The liquefaction reaction was carried out at elevated temperature with a mixture of solvents from polyhydroxyl alcohols such as glycerine and propylene glycol, andp-toluenesulfonic acid as a catalyst. Then the liquefied woods (LWs) were characterized in terms of their suitability for PB production as a partial substitute for synthetic urea-formaldehyde (UF) resin. The standard properties of PBs such as tensile strength, bending strength and modulus of elasticity, density, moisture content, swelling after 24 h, water absorption, and formaldehyde content were measured. All tests were performed in comparison to a standard PB bonded by UF resin. It was demonstrated that the substitution of UF resin up to 20% of LW did not have a significant effect on the mechanical properties. PB made of recycled wood produced with LW possessed good mechanical properties that meet the European standard quality demands for PBs.

Expanding the base of raw materials for use in the production of wood-based materials, researchers and panel manufacturers around the world are increasingly trying to produce panel prototypes from raw materials available in a given area and climate, or by managing waste from wood industry processing. The aim of the study was therefore to test the hypothesis that forest residues de-rived from Scots pine roundwood harvesting have the same suitability for the production of three-layer particleboard as the wood of the most valuable part of the Scots pine stem, by comparing selected properties of raw wood material and final product—particleboard. Characterization of both the raw material and the physical-mechanical and hygienic properties of the produced panels was carried out. For these panels from the tree trunk, MOR was 14.6 N/mm², MOE 1960 N/mm² and IB 0.46 N/mm². The MOR and IB values turned out to be higher for the panel from the branch and are 16.5 and 0.72 N/mm², respectively. Excessive swelling of the panels resulted in all manufactured particleboards meeting the standardized performance requirements of EN 312 for interior furnishing panels (including furniture) for use in dry conditions (type P2).

A diverse spectrum of organisms, such as fungi, bacteria, and actinomycetes, can degrade and transform organic matter, including wood, into valuable nutrients. A sustainable economy has the goal of efficiently using waste as raw materials, and in this optic, it uses biological preparations more and more often, supporting the decomposition of lignocellulosic waste. With reference to wood wastes, which are produced in a substantial amount by the forest and wood industry, one of the possibilities to biodegrade such lignocellulosic material is the composting process. In particular, microbiological inoculum containing dedicated fungi can contribute to the biodegradation of wood waste, as well as the biotransformation of substances from the protection of wood, such as pentachlorophenol (PCP), lindane (hexachlorobenzene) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The purpose of this research was to produce a literature review in terms of the selection of decay fungi that could potentially be used in toxic biotransformation unions. The findings of the literature review highlighted how fungi such as Bjerkandera adusta, Phanerochaete chrysosporium, and Trametes versicolor might be ingredients of biological consortia that can be effectively applied in composting wood waste containing substances such as pentachlorophenol, lindane, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).