Project Overview

About WoodVALOR

The Challenge

VETprep, “VET Participation, Retention, and Educational Policies in the Wake of COVID-19: A Cross-Country Exploration”, is an innovative project aimed at investigating the educational trajectories and life courses of young people in vocational education and training (VET) across Europe. Our mission is to provide new insights into the challenges and opportunities faced by VET students, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, and to develop strategies for improving VET policies and practices.

Our Solution

WoodVALOR transforms contaminated wood waste into valuable bio-based products
through innovative decontamination and valorisation processes, creating circularity
across multiple European value chains through.

Advanced Decontamination

Model-based approach for sorting and managing contaminated wood waste

Customized decontamination solutions tailored to contamination types

Metal recovery systems to reclaim valuable resources

Treatment of decontamination liquids for zero-waste processing

Focus on wood from coated furniture, pallets, and construction structures

Dual Valorisation Routes

Chemical/Biological Transformation: Creating bio-based acrylate esters,
binders, emulsifiers, additives, and pigments for industrial applications.

Thermal Conversion: Producing biochar through pyrolysis for heavy metal
recovery and remediation of contaminated lands, particularly mining sites
covering an estimated 1 million km² worldwide.

Impact

WoodVALOR addresses critical environmental challenges across multiple industries:

Paints & Coatings

The global P&C industry accounts for 1-3% of industrial GHG emissions (230-700 million tons CO₂e annually). WoodVALOR provides sustainable bio-based alternatives to fossil-based styrene, acrylate, and alkyd resins, reducing emissions throughout the value chain.

Construction

Developing bio-based adhesives and sealants validated with
major European building companies, addressing a sector responsible for 35% of EU waste and over 250 million tons CO₂e annually.

Mining Remediation

Biochar application enhances soil structure, increases water retention, and boosts microbial activity in degraded mining lands,
supporting reforestation efforts.

Our Approach

WoodVALOR brings together key industry players, leading SMEs, and research
institutes to:

Implement Safe & Sustainable by Design (SSbD) methodology ensuring no toxic releases.

Establish new cross-sectoral value chains connecting waste management,
chemical, construction, and mining sectors

Promote circular economy principles through multi-actor collaboration.

Enhance resource efficiency and regulatory compliance.

Reduce reliance on fossil resources while mitigating climate change.

Improve soil health and biodiversity

Through this integrated approach, WoodVALOR demonstrates true circularity – utilizing waste streams from mining and construction industries to produce essential components for paints, coatings, sealants, and adhesives, while recovering metals and minerals and contributing to environmental restoration.