ANALYSIS OF THE SUSTAINABLE UTILIZATION OF RESIDUES GENERATED IN THE TRANSFORMATION OF WOOD IN TWO MUNICIPALITIES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CHOCÓ-COLOMBIA

Abstract

This research evaluated the possible sustainable environmental solutions to the problem of wood residues (residual biomass) generated in sawmills and joinery of the municipalities of Quibdó and Riosucio in the department of Chocó. We evaluated three uses: generation of alternative energy, agglomerated materials and manufacture of wood pellets. We identified 109 companies in the two municipalities (95 in Quibdó and 14 in Riosucio), which generate 723,15 tons / year of biomass waste in Quibdó and 591,42 tons / year of waste in Riosucio. We characterized three samples of the most used forest species (Lechero, Guamillo and Jigua), and a fourth sample composed of a mixture of these species, since the companies do not perform separation in their transformation processes. The samples presented calorific values of 13.013 kJ/kg, 15.334 kJ/kg, 13.452 kJ/kg and 15.345 kJ/kg / kg respectively, being the mixture the one with the best calorific value for purposes of power generation. As a mechanism for selection of alternatives, we developed the Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) with the OpenLCA 1.6 software, using data from Ecoinvent 3.3 (impact indicators of IPCC 2013). The analysis allowed us to determine that only the production of pellets generate 298,94 kg CO2-eq GWP 20a and 279,41 kg CO2-eq GWP 100, and the energy use of this waste generates 572,92 kg CO2-eq GWP 20a and 559,35 kg CO2-eq GWP. We did not consider agglomerates as a viable option, due to the amount of processes required for their elaboration, the cost of machinery required and the climatic conditions of the region (humidity and precipitation) that may easily deteriorate the product.