Japanese firms create closed loop recycling for construction wood waste

Tokyo Board Industries Co., Ltd. and Sanyo UD Co., Ltd. has started a joint closed-loop material recycling initiative for construction wood waste in Japan. Under the official Wide-Area Certification System, wood waste generated at building sites using Sanyo UD’s soundproof flooring systems is collected and remanufactured by Tokyo Board Industries into 100 per cent recycled particleboards. These recycled boards are then returned to construction sites as underlying substrate for new floors, creating a circular material flow within the building sector.

The initiative operates through three core steps designed to maximise resource efficiency. First, T.B. Logistics Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Tokyo Board Industries, manages the collection of wood waste directly from construction sites under the regulatory framework certified by Sanyo Industries, Ltd. and Sanyo UD. Second, Tokyo Board Industries processes the recovered wood scraps into its E・V・A® Board particleboards, which use 100 per cent recycled wood chips as raw material. Third, Sanyo UD supplies these recycled particleboards back to residential construction sites as base panels for its UD System Floor soundproof raised flooring.

Logistics efficiency also minimises the carbon footprint of the recycling process. T.B. Logistics operates a unified transportation schedule, delivering finished particleboards to construction sites while collecting waste wood on return journeys. In addition, the scheme assists general contractors and building owners in calculating project-level greenhouse gas emissions. The E・V・A® Board holds certifications from both EPD International and the Sustainable Management Promotion Organization in Japan, providing verified environmental data required for comprehensive building life cycle assessments.

This collaboration establishes a direct material loop that maintains functional utility across building lifecycles.