engleski

WOOD AND SUBSTITUTION MATERIALS – ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

In the past, the most important environmental issues for manufacturing industries were emissions, discharges and waste. These are still very important issues and likely to remain high on the environmental agenda. However, increasingly the focus is shifting towards raw material procurement. The forest industry has a considerable effect on its surroundings, but has many advantages over competing materials. Its raw materials are renewable, it utilises advanced production techniques, and produces safe products that can be recycled or disposed of low environmental impacts. Unlike many competing products, it is possible to recover the energy content of the forest products. Most consumers understand the link between forest harvesting and product manufacturing, whereas not many consumers link the plastics industry with oil drilling, the aluminium industry with bauxite mining, or the steel industry with mining. This chapter highlights the environmental qualities of each material, but this does not mean the environment is the main reason for substitution. Product price, both purchase cost and maintenance cost, continues to play a key role in product selection. Other substitution factors include cultural preferences, strength, ability to meet fire and other code requirements, durability, appearance and perceived value. Consumer awareness of environmental issues is growing and they increasingly take environmental factors into account in daily decision-making. Some of them are willing to pay more for products that are easy on the environment, but more often, consumers expect materials to meet environmental criteria

wood, substitution materials, environmental issues

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