Handbook of Innovative Adhesive Technology

The environmental impact of the common binders used in construction materials is usually evaluated through life-cycle assessment (LCA), which is an effective process to measure the service life of construction materials. As construction materials are wood-based, they need flame retardants and various other additives to develop the desired features, which are added during the manufacturing process of construction materials. This makes the materials less environment-friendly and greenhouse gas emitters. The LCA of construction materials made of biodegradable binders, such as starch (flour-, corn-, and potato-based starch), and fibers, such as oat, hemp, and flax shives, has shown that they have less harmful effects on the environment than the conventional construction materials.