Twenty-first International Conference on Environmental, Cultural, Economic & Social Sustainability

Abstract

The present research was conducted to study a part of the circular economy within the medium-density fiberboard (MDF) industry using two tools: Life Cycle Cost (LCC) and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). Today, the medium-density fiberboard industry is one of the most energy and fuel-intensive sectors within the composite industry. The findings demonstrate that while technology can enhance production efficiency, significant advancements toward sustainability and economic goals can be achieved by evaluating the supply chain sector and modifying the production process. Utilizing LCC and LCA, crucial tools in circular economy studies, enables the evaluation of a product from the cradle to the grave. The results indicate that the use of primary and secondary raw materials can significantly impact natural gas and electricity consumption. Economic and ecological evaluations suggest that utilizing secondary raw materials is more sustainable compared to the current practices. This research discusses the environmental aspects of various production sectors using the LCA tool, identifying hotspots within impact categories. Additionally, by assessing the life cycle of production costs, attention can be drawn to bio-economic aspects. The distribution of costs across different production processes was analyzed, and Monte Carlo simulation was employed to examine cost changes and data sensitivity. Given increasing concerns about global warming and environmental issues, as well as the desire to enhance product value and competitiveness, the findings of this study can assist policymakers and industry managers in making informed decisions toward producing economical products.