End-of-life scenarios for wood fiber acoustic tiles
Alenius, Pauliina (2025)
2025
Materiaalitekniikan DI-ohjelma - Master's Programme in Materials Engineering
Tekniikan ja luonnontieteiden tiedekunta - Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences
This publication is copyrighted. You may download, display and print it for Your own personal use. Commercial use is prohibited.
Hyväksymispäivämäärä
2025-11-13
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-2025111310609
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-2025111310609
Tiivistelmä
Acoustic tiles play a crucial role in indoor sound management in buildings and have traditionally been made from mineral-based materials such as glass and stone wool. However, these materials face environmental challenges, including high energy consumption in manufacturing and limited recycling opportunities. However, bio-based alternatives to mineral-based materials, such as wood fiber-based acoustic tiles, have been developed in recent years. Wood fiber-based acoustic tiles offer a more environmentally friendly alternative to indoor sound management.
The aim of this thesis is to examine what kind of end-use scenarios can be applied to Aisti’s wood fiber-based acoustic tiles at the end of their life cycle. The waste hierarchy was used to analyze scenarios. The study was carried out as a literature review, which examined how legislation, standards, and regulations affected the end-use possibilities of acoustics tiles. The researched end-use possibilities included the reuse of wood-fiber acoustic tiles as such, as thermal insulation, blown wool, transport packaging, fiber recycling, growing medium, composting, biochar and energy recovery. The goal was to find the most functional options that comply with laws, standards, and regulations. With regard to non-executable end-use possibilities, the composition and manufacturing method of the acoustic tile will be re-evaluated, and consideration will be given to how the board could be suitable for that scenario after the changes, in order to make it possible to realize the end-use possibility of the wood fiber-based acoustic tile.
The literature review analysed wood fiber and its properties, the properties of the acoustic tile, and also the chemicals used. This information was used to assess end-use access with laws, standards, and regulations. The aim of the literature review was to find out how a wood fiberbased acoustic tile could be more suitable for recycling and reuse than in its own production, and what changes it requires. Finally, action recommendations were defined for those end-use possibilities that cannot be exploited under the current conditions.
Based on the results, fiber recycling and energy recovery proved to be the best possible alternatives among the end-use possibilities studied. Although recycling systems for wood fiber-based acoustic tiles have not yet fully established the 99.3% result of Aisti’s CEPI recyclability test indicates the technical recyclability of the material. Based on the test, the base material of the tile can be repulped and returned to the fiber cycle. Technically, Aisti’s tiles are suitable for closed-loop recycling, but the biggest obstacle is adapting existing recycling systems to accept such products and methods.
Energy recovery can occur, especially in situations where reuse is not possible due to factors such material contamination or damage. In addition, thermal insulation and blown wool can offer a potential end-use alternative, but their suitability requires even more detailed study in terms of standards. The identification of these factors is central to the assessment of end-use possibilities and the further development of materials. The study found that certain materials, such as glass fiber fabric and chemicals used, can significantly limit the suitability of wood fiber-based acoustic tiles for purposes such as composting.
The study provides an overview of the challenges and opportunities of end-use of wood fiberbased acoustic tiles and serves as a basis for further research and materials design in accordance with the principles of the circular economy.
The aim of this thesis is to examine what kind of end-use scenarios can be applied to Aisti’s wood fiber-based acoustic tiles at the end of their life cycle. The waste hierarchy was used to analyze scenarios. The study was carried out as a literature review, which examined how legislation, standards, and regulations affected the end-use possibilities of acoustics tiles. The researched end-use possibilities included the reuse of wood-fiber acoustic tiles as such, as thermal insulation, blown wool, transport packaging, fiber recycling, growing medium, composting, biochar and energy recovery. The goal was to find the most functional options that comply with laws, standards, and regulations. With regard to non-executable end-use possibilities, the composition and manufacturing method of the acoustic tile will be re-evaluated, and consideration will be given to how the board could be suitable for that scenario after the changes, in order to make it possible to realize the end-use possibility of the wood fiber-based acoustic tile.
The literature review analysed wood fiber and its properties, the properties of the acoustic tile, and also the chemicals used. This information was used to assess end-use access with laws, standards, and regulations. The aim of the literature review was to find out how a wood fiberbased acoustic tile could be more suitable for recycling and reuse than in its own production, and what changes it requires. Finally, action recommendations were defined for those end-use possibilities that cannot be exploited under the current conditions.
Based on the results, fiber recycling and energy recovery proved to be the best possible alternatives among the end-use possibilities studied. Although recycling systems for wood fiber-based acoustic tiles have not yet fully established the 99.3% result of Aisti’s CEPI recyclability test indicates the technical recyclability of the material. Based on the test, the base material of the tile can be repulped and returned to the fiber cycle. Technically, Aisti’s tiles are suitable for closed-loop recycling, but the biggest obstacle is adapting existing recycling systems to accept such products and methods.
Energy recovery can occur, especially in situations where reuse is not possible due to factors such material contamination or damage. In addition, thermal insulation and blown wool can offer a potential end-use alternative, but their suitability requires even more detailed study in terms of standards. The identification of these factors is central to the assessment of end-use possibilities and the further development of materials. The study found that certain materials, such as glass fiber fabric and chemicals used, can significantly limit the suitability of wood fiber-based acoustic tiles for purposes such as composting.
The study provides an overview of the challenges and opportunities of end-use of wood fiberbased acoustic tiles and serves as a basis for further research and materials design in accordance with the principles of the circular economy.