To Jean-Pierre Kiekens: In response to your questions re: using leguminous trees for manufacturing MDF, I have been involved in the use of agricultural straws (primarily wheat and barley, but also bagasse and several other wood/straw blends)for particleboard/MDF, and can share with you some general results. Atr the present time, there is only one producing plant in North America using straw for particleboard. I have conducted several additional studies for potential plants. Since my work has been conducted in North America, proposed plant size has been determined by both markets and fiber feedstock sustainability. In my opinion, an optimum size for an agro-waste MDF or particleboard plant would be 30 million square feet (3/4") per year (150 cubic meters/day). A plant of this size would require approximately 50,000 tons of furnish annually. There are some interests which are promoting a much larger strawboard concept (requiring up to 250,000 tons per year) but I have serious doubts as to the viability of a straw-based project of that size. Ag straw requires the use of an isocyanate binder for the production of particleboard/MDF. In my several studies, I have yet to discover a fiber source which cannot be used to produce panels. Hope this helps. Regards, Bill Russell AGB Technologies, Inc. Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
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