Environmental considerations in wood use are gaining importance due to the global climate and biodiversity crises (Ripple et al., 2020). In Slovenia, there remain untapped opportunities to replace carbon-intensive materials with wood and to reduce the environmental impact of industry and construction, aligning with the national development strategy (Šooš et al., 2017). If the wood industry prioritizes long-lasting products, wood-based carbon storage could significantly offset CO₂ emissions in the medium term (Steel, 2021), making it essential to understand wood material flows from harvest to end use. Although several studies have examined primary wood products (Piškur and Krajnc, 2009; Ščap, 2020; Ščap, 2024), research on secondary wood products is limited. For Slovenia, FAOSTAT data includes sawmill outputs, cellulose/boards, and secondary paper products, but lacks coverage of wooden consumer goods and construction-related secondary products—areas with the greatest potential to enhance environmental performance. This study hypothesized that PRODCOM data could complement FAOSTAT data for secondary wood categories, enabling a more complete national material flow analysis (MFA) to inform industry decisions.
Keywords: Harvested wood products, material flow analysis, PRODCOM database, FAOSTAT Forestry Production and Trade, secondary wood products
Authors
Daša Majcen
InnoRenew CoE, Izola, Slovenia
Andreja Kutnar
InnoRenew CoE, Izola, Slovenia & University of Primorska, Koper, Slovenia
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