Piecing together research needs: safety, environmental performance and regulatory issues of nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC)

K. Lähtinen, H. Valve, T. Jouttijärvi, P. Kautto, S. Koskela, P. Leskinen, K. Silvo, Marja Pitkänen, Heli Kangas, Pauliina Tukiainen

Research output: Book/Report › Report

Abstract

Control over matter on the atomic scale or nanoscale enables the creation of devices and structures with ground-breaking characteristics. Novel materials are expected to improve ecological efficiency, enhance quality of life and generate economic growth. In forest industry, there are numerous potential uses for nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC). However, the life cycle safety and environmental impacts of NFC are largely unknown. Due to this, incorporating the environmental considerations into research and development work is needed at the very beginning of NFC-based value chain development. The purpose of the study was to identify the most critical research needs relating to product safety, environmental performance and regulation challenges of producing and using NFC in intermediate and end products. The project was to bring together a wide spectrum of top experts to contemplate existing results and to prioritise unanswered questions relating to NFC production and usage in different phases of value chains. According to the results, identified research needs can be divided into two main topics: testing and test procedures and environmental behaviour of NFC. The development on-time regulation and standards was considered as important, but in many cases it was noted to be proceeding at a slow pace. Due to this, proactive communication with customers, authorities and consumers were considered to be an important question that requires research inputs. It was emphasised that research results on safety issues and environmental product characteristics, for example, are needed for reliable communication between different actors. The debates also opened up practical questions about the appropriate modes and arenas of cooperation between different stakeholders. Moreover, as became very evident in the debates during the pre-study, dialogue around new technologies and their implications are needed not only between administrators, scientists and private enterprises, but also more widely across the whole society.
Original languageEnglish
Number of pages29
Publication statusPublished - 2012
MoE publication typeD4 Published development or research report or study

Publication series

SeriesLappeenranta University of Technology: Department of Information Technology. Research report
NumberD2.5.2

Fingerprint

cellulose
supply chain
communication (human)
private enterprises
product safety
environmental law
forest industries
research and development
economic development
quality of life
stakeholders
environmental performance
environmental impact
testing

Keywords

  • nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC)
  • value chain
  • safety
  • environmental performance
  • regulation

Cite this

Lähtinen, K., Valve, H., Jouttijärvi, T., Kautto, P., Koskela, S., Leskinen, P., ... Tukiainen, P. (2012). Piecing together research needs: safety, environmental performance and regulatory issues of nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC). Lappeenranta University of Technology: Department of Information Technology. Research report, No. D2.5.2
Lähtinen, K. ; Valve, H. ; Jouttijärvi, T. ; Kautto, P. ; Koskela, S. ; Leskinen, P. ; Silvo, K. ; Pitkänen, Marja ; Kangas, Heli ; Tukiainen, Pauliina. / Piecing together research needs : safety, environmental performance and regulatory issues of nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC). 2012. 29 p. (Lappeenranta University of Technology: Department of Information Technology. Research report; No. D2.5.2).
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Lähtinen, K, Valve, H, Jouttijärvi, T, Kautto, P, Koskela, S, Leskinen, P, Silvo, K, Pitkänen, M, Kangas, H & Tukiainen, P 2012, Piecing together research needs: safety, environmental performance and regulatory issues of nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC). Lappeenranta University of Technology: Department of Information Technology. Research report, no. D2.5.2.

Piecing together research needs : safety, environmental performance and regulatory issues of nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC). / Lähtinen, K.; Valve, H.; Jouttijärvi, T.; Kautto, P.; Koskela, S.; Leskinen, P.; Silvo, K.; Pitkänen, Marja; Kangas, Heli; Tukiainen, Pauliina.

2012. 29 p. (Lappeenranta University of Technology: Department of Information Technology. Research report; No. D2.5.2).

Research output: Book/Report › Report

TY - BOOK

T1 - Piecing together research needs

T2 - safety, environmental performance and regulatory issues of nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC)

AU - Lähtinen, K.

AU - Valve, H.

AU - Jouttijärvi, T.

AU - Kautto, P.

AU - Koskela, S.

AU - Leskinen, P.

AU - Silvo, K.

AU - Pitkänen, Marja

AU - Kangas, Heli

AU - Tukiainen, Pauliina

PY - 2012

Y1 - 2012

N2 - Control over matter on the atomic scale or nanoscale enables the creation of devices and structures with ground-breaking characteristics. Novel materials are expected to improve ecological efficiency, enhance quality of life and generate economic growth. In forest industry, there are numerous potential uses for nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC). However, the life cycle safety and environmental impacts of NFC are largely unknown. Due to this, incorporating the environmental considerations into research and development work is needed at the very beginning of NFC-based value chain development. The purpose of the study was to identify the most critical research needs relating to product safety, environmental performance and regulation challenges of producing and using NFC in intermediate and end products. The project was to bring together a wide spectrum of top experts to contemplate existing results and to prioritise unanswered questions relating to NFC production and usage in different phases of value chains. According to the results, identified research needs can be divided into two main topics: testing and test procedures and environmental behaviour of NFC. The development on-time regulation and standards was considered as important, but in many cases it was noted to be proceeding at a slow pace. Due to this, proactive communication with customers, authorities and consumers were considered to be an important question that requires research inputs. It was emphasised that research results on safety issues and environmental product characteristics, for example, are needed for reliable communication between different actors. The debates also opened up practical questions about the appropriate modes and arenas of cooperation between different stakeholders. Moreover, as became very evident in the debates during the pre-study, dialogue around new technologies and their implications are needed not only between administrators, scientists and private enterprises, but also more widely across the whole society.

AB - Control over matter on the atomic scale or nanoscale enables the creation of devices and structures with ground-breaking characteristics. Novel materials are expected to improve ecological efficiency, enhance quality of life and generate economic growth. In forest industry, there are numerous potential uses for nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC). However, the life cycle safety and environmental impacts of NFC are largely unknown. Due to this, incorporating the environmental considerations into research and development work is needed at the very beginning of NFC-based value chain development. The purpose of the study was to identify the most critical research needs relating to product safety, environmental performance and regulation challenges of producing and using NFC in intermediate and end products. The project was to bring together a wide spectrum of top experts to contemplate existing results and to prioritise unanswered questions relating to NFC production and usage in different phases of value chains. According to the results, identified research needs can be divided into two main topics: testing and test procedures and environmental behaviour of NFC. The development on-time regulation and standards was considered as important, but in many cases it was noted to be proceeding at a slow pace. Due to this, proactive communication with customers, authorities and consumers were considered to be an important question that requires research inputs. It was emphasised that research results on safety issues and environmental product characteristics, for example, are needed for reliable communication between different actors. The debates also opened up practical questions about the appropriate modes and arenas of cooperation between different stakeholders. Moreover, as became very evident in the debates during the pre-study, dialogue around new technologies and their implications are needed not only between administrators, scientists and private enterprises, but also more widely across the whole society.

KW - nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC)

KW - value chain

KW - safety

KW - environmental performance

KW - regulation

M3 - Report

SN - 978-952-5947-27-4

T3 - Lappeenranta University of Technology: Department of Information Technology. Research report

BT - Piecing together research needs

ER -

Lähtinen K, Valve H, Jouttijärvi T, Kautto P, Koskela S, Leskinen P et al. Piecing together research needs: safety, environmental performance and regulatory issues of nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC). 2012. 29 p. (Lappeenranta University of Technology: Department of Information Technology. Research report; No. D2.5.2).