Flax environmental impact

Werf, H.M.G., Turunen, L., 2008. The environmental impacts of the production of hemp and flax textile yam. Industrial Corps and Products 27, 1—10. 

Flax fibers have recently been investigated as reinforcement in polymeric foam matrices for current components used in the transportation industry (Fuqua et al. 2010). Despite the fact that plywood bus floorboards are chemically treated to prevent decay, they stUl require repeated replacement over the lifecycle of a transit vehicle (Vaidya et al. 2004). Mechanical testing of both flexural performance and fastener pullout capabilities of flax-fiber/soy-based PU foam composites demonstrated that they could serve as a suitable flooring replacement in mass transit vehicles. Stmctures ranging from 55% to 70% renewable material by weight with an inexpensive lower quality flax mat (i.e., 40% shive content and 60% fiber) could produce flexural strength comparable to pl3rwood with little environmental impact (Fuqua et al. 2010). 

European Parliament (2000) Council Directive 2000/53/EC of 18 September 2000 on end-of life vehicles, http //eur-lex.europa.eu/en/index.htm. Accessed 20 April 2010 Fakin D, Golob V, Kleinschek K, Le Marechal A (2006) Sorption properties of flax fibers depending on pretreatment processes and their environmental impact. Text Res J 76(6) 448-454... 

Cellulosic natural fibers (e.g., abaca, bamboo, jute, flax, and hemp) have long been used as load-bearing materials to reinforce polymer matrix. Compared to traditional reinforcement fibers, for example, glass fibers and carbon fibers, cellulosic fibers show the advantages of low material cost, low environmental impact (renewability and carbon dioxide neutral, i.e., no excess carbon dioxide is returned to the environment when composted or combusted), and competitive strength/density ratio [31]. Cellulosic fibers are almost nonabrasive to processing equipment, which contributes to substantial reduction in production cost. They are also safer to handle compared to manmade fibers. 

Only in the second half of the 1990s, reports appeared in the literature describing hybrid composites containing other reinforcements than the traditional fibers (GF, CF, AF). The reason behind this fact was that natural fibers gained attention due to environmental concerns. Kalaprasad et al examined sisal/GF hybrid fiber/LDPE matrix composites at various fiber orientations. Benevolenski et alf investigated the impact properties of flax/glass/PP matrix hybrid composites produced by hot compression molding technique from a needle-felted preform. 

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