Title:
Comparative Greenhouse Gas Implications of Wood Pallet Valorisation Pathways in Island Territories
Author(s):
Silveira, E.A., Cruz Lamas, G., Dasilva, F., Mallet, S., Pujol, M.M., Rousset, P.
Document(s):
Paper
Poster
Abstract:
Island territories face structural constraints in waste management, including limited land availability, high dependence on imported goods, and restricted recycling infrastructure. In this context, waste wooden pallets represent a relevant but underexplored lignocellulosic stream, particularly in import-dependent economies. This study compares the greenhouse gas implications of two end-of-life routes for waste wooden pallets in La Réunion: slow pyrolysis for biochar production and incineration with energy recovery. The assessment adopts a functional unit of 1 t of pallets received for treatment and focuses exclusively on the end-of-life treatment stage, excluding collection and transport processes. The pyrolysis route was modelled using primary operational data from a local plant, whereas the incineration route was based on published inventory data normalized to the same functional unit and adapted to local energy conditions. Results indicate that both routes can provide net climate benefits, although through different mitigation mechanisms. Pyrolysis achieved a net climate balance of -527.64 kg CO2 eq t–1, mainly driven by stable carbon storage in biochar, while incineration reached -602.23 kg CO2 eq t–1 due to avoided emissions from recovered heat and electricity. These findings suggest that pallet pyrolysis may offer a promising end-of-life strategy for geographically constrained territories by combining waste treatment, carbon storage, and the production of a potentially useful material output. Future work should expand the assessment to a full life cycle perspective, including pallet production, reuse cycles, biochar application, substitution effects, and uncertainty related to biochar permanence and energy transition scenarios.
Keywords:
pyrolysis, waste, wood, biochar, life cycle assessment (LCA), island territories
Topic:
Sustainability, Impacts, Policies and Systems Analysis
Subtopic:
Climate impacts and GHG performance
Event:
34th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition
Session:
2BV.1.16
Pages:
317 - 323
ISBN:
978-88-89407-27-1
Paper DOI:
10.5071/34thEUBCE2026-2BV.1.16
Price:
FREE
