Integrating wood-based material reuse into the circular economy of the wood industry in Bosnia and Herzegovina

The transition toward circular construction depends on the attitudes, knowledge, and practical realities of professionals. Although circular economy principles are increasingly discussed globally, a significant knowledge gap exists regarding the specific regional barriers and stakeholders’ readiness within transitional economies like the Western Balkans. This study explored the opportunities and challenges of reusing wood-based materials in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), a country with a significant forestry tradition but limited implementation of circular principles. Based on a survey of 99 professionals from academia and industry, data were analysed using descriptive statistics and Pearson’s chi-square tests (α = 0.05). While awareness of wood reuse was found to be high (75%), practical application is lower (63%). Findings revealed a significant relationship between education level and technical risk perception (χ²(1) = 21.92, p < 0.001), and showed that professional roles significantly shape barrier perception (χ²(20) = 396.0, p < 0.001). Although respondents recognized the environmental value of reuse, infrastructure deficits and lack of specialized technology were identified as the primary bottlenecks. The main conclusion indicates that overcoming these challenges requires a coordinated approach bridging academic frameworks with targeted industrial technology investments.