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Sustainability Impact

The Impact of 100 m³ of BIOMEBOARD™

Every 100 cubic meters of BIOMEBOARD™ delivers measurable environmental and social benefits, transforming waste into opportunity and creating climate-positive infrastructure.

Trees saved
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By replacing conventional plywood or MDF, BIOMEBOARD™ avoids the harvesting of nearly 500 mature trees, preserving over 1 acre of natural forest.
of farm waste upcycled
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Each 100 m³ of BIOMEBOARD™ utilizes up to 75 MT of rice/wheat straw, sourced directly from farms in Haryana.

That’s straw from up to 30 acres of farmland that would otherwise be burned.

CO₂e emissions from stubble burning
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Utilising straw in 100m³ of our products avoids CO₂e emissions of up to 100 MT

of CO₂e emissions avoided
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BIOMEBOARD™ has a 60–70% lower carbon footprint compared to engineered wood products.

We cut emissions from logging, processing, and long-distance transport, and we do it with cleaner energy inputs.

in farmer income
₹ 0 k+

We pay farmers up to ₹5 per kg of straw, turning crop residue into an asset.

That’s close to ₹3,00,000 ($4,000) in new rural income per 100 m³ of BIOMEBOARD™, while restoring soil health and preventing burning.

of PM2.5 air pollutants prevented
0 kg+

By preventing open-field burning of agricultural waste, we help reduce severe air pollution in Delhi-NCR and North India, avoiding over hundreds of kilograms of CO, NOx, and other harmful pollutants.

Sustainable Development Goals

At Biome, our mission and operations directly advance multiple United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by turning agricultural residues into high-value, toxin-free building materials and embedding circular-economy principles at every step:

SDG 1 – No Poverty
We generate new income streams for smallholder farmers by purchasing straw at fair market rates, helping lift rural communities out of poverty.
SDG 2 – Zero Hunger
By valorizing crop residues that would otherwise go to waste, we boost farm profitability without competing for arable land or food production.
SDG 8 – Decent Work & Economic Growth
Our facilities create skilled manufacturing jobs in semi-urban and rural areas, fostering local economic development and upskilling the workforce.
SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure
Through our innovative processes, we drive sustainable industrial innovation and resilient infrastructure.
SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities & Communities
Biome products help projects achieve healthier indoor environments and lower lifecycle emissions, supporting more livable, sustainable urban spaces and better sustainability scores.
SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption & Production
We close the loop on agri-waste, drastically reducing landfill and open-burning, and produce boards that are formaldehyde-free and low-VOC. We aim to engineer all our products with end of life recycleability in mind.
SDG 13 – Climate Action
By avoiding open-field straw burning and cutting embodied CO₂ by up to 70% versus conventional products, we help mitigate climate change.
SDG 15 – Life on Land
Our supply-chain model discourages crop-residue burning, protecting soil health, reducing air pollution and preserving terrestrial ecosystems.
SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals
We collaborate with government programs, research institutes and industry leaders to scale circular bio-manufacturing solutions nationwide.

Together, these contributions make Biome’s products more than just a building material; it’s a practical lever for global sustainability, helping you meet your own ESG targets while supporting the broader UN agenda.

Biome sustainability – Key evidence

India’s heavy reliance on timber imports

  • India imports over 10 million m³ of wood and wood-based panels annually.
  • More than 70% of MDF and over 30% of plywood are imported (primarily from Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, New Zealand, and China).
  • The market for wood panel imports is valued at over $2 billion/year.

Source: FAO, DGCIS (India), ITTO

Deforestation from timber harvesting

  • Timber harvesting is responsible for up to 30% of global deforestation.
  • India loses over 5 million hectares of forest cover every decade, much of it to logging and land-use conversion.
  • Plantation timber (e.g. eucalyptus, poplar) is increasingly replacing natural forests.

Source: Global Forest Watch, MoEFCC, WRI

GHG emissions from timber imports

  • Average emission from shipping 1 ton of timber from Southeast Asia to India: ~120–180 kg CO₂e.
  • Added emissions from inland transport, processing, and warehousing can bring the A2 stage total up to 300–400 kg CO₂e per m³.

Source: DEFRA (UK GHG Conversion Factors), GHG Protocol

Illegal or smuggled timber

  • Roughly 15–30% of global timber trade is illegal; in some source countries, over 50%.
  • India is a known destination for illegally harvested wood, especially teak and rosewood.
  • Illegal timber bypasses environmental and social safeguards.

Source: INTERPOL, Chatham House, Forest Trends

Water-intensive plantation timber

  • Poplar and eucalyptus plantations (used for plywood/MDF) consume up to 1,000 liters of water per kg of tree mass.
  • Grown in Punjab, Haryana, and UP, which are already high-stress water zones (groundwater tables depleting ~1 meter/year in parts).

Source: Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), TERI, ICAR

Formaldehyde-based binders

  • Urea-formaldehyde and melamine-formaldehyde resins are widely used in MDF/plywood and are classified as Group 1 carcinogens (IARC).
  • Off-gassing leads to poor indoor air quality and is linked to respiratory and neurological issues.

Source: WHO, US EPA, IARC Monographs

Energy mix in BiomeBoard production

  • BIOMEBOARD™ uses biomass-powered heat systems, avoiding coal/gas-heavy industrial energy.
  • Estimated energy-related emissions are 30–50% lower than conventional board manufacturing.

Source: Biome internal process data; comparison with EU Ecoinvent DB

Near-zero emissions in raw material (Rice straw)

  • Agricultural residues like rice straw have near-zero cradle emissions when sourced locally and not burned.
  • Using straw avoids the need for carbon-intensive logging, milling, and drying processes used in timber products.

Source: IPCC AR6, OpenLCA database estimates for agri-waste

Hyperlocal sourcing reduces A2 stage emissions

  • Sourcing straw from within 20 kms avoids long-distance freight, cutting emissions by over 90% vs imported wood.
  • Emissions from local truck transport: ~5–10 kg CO₂e/m³, compared to 300+ kg CO₂e/m³for imports.

Source: GHG Protocol; LCA literature on transport emissions

Fully recyclable boards

  • BIOMEBOARD™ contains no synthetic overlays or laminates, making it 100% recyclable into chipboard.
  • Traditional boards with laminates, toxic binders, or decorative foils are non-recyclable and end up in landfills.

Source: Biome material specs; EPD comparisons from MDF/Plywood industry

BIOMEBOARD™ vs Conventional boards: A sustainability comparison

Parameter BIOMEBOARD™ Plywood / MDF / Particle Board
Raw Material Rice Straw - Agricultural waste/straw Plantation or natural forest timber
Trees Cut Zero trees Yes – contributes to deforestation and biodiversity loss
Sourcing Radius Within 20 km (hyperlocal) Often 1000s of kms (domestic or international)
Transport Emissions (A2) ~5–10 kg CO₂e/m³ 300–400 kg CO₂e/m³ (imported)
Raw Material Emissions (A1) Near-zero (no fossil inputs, no felling/drying) High – logging, chipping, kiln drying
Binder Used Formaldehyde-free Urea/melamine formaldehyde (toxic, carcinogenic)
Indoor Air Quality Impact Safe, low-VOC Poor – off-gassing of formaldehyde
Water Footprint Minimal (non-irrigated agri waste) 1,000 Liters of water per kg of tree mass
Energy Mix in Manufacturing Biomass-based, low fossil fuel use Mostly grid electricity or coal/wood-fired boilers
End-of-Life Fully recyclable (no laminates or overlays) Often non-recyclable, ends up in landfill or incinerated
Circularity 100% circular – waste to value and fully recyclable Linear – resource extraction to disposal
Air Pollution Avoidance Prevents stubble burning in North India None – timber harvesting sometimes worsens air quality via processing
Legality & Traceability Transparent, traceable supply chain Risk of smuggling or illegal timber trade