The Ultimate Guide to Wood Recycling
The primary materials we use in everyday life and business are in high demand. To meet this demand, new materials are often sourced which leads to a negative impact on the environment.
Wood is a popular material for packaging, furniture, construction, and more. Since it’s often in close contact with people, including children, there’s a need for rigorous regulations surrounding it.
With modern innovations in recycling techniques, it’s easier than ever to reuse old materials rather than creating new ones. Wood is no exception; by following the regulations and ensuring you know everything about wood recycling, you’ll be prepared to carry it out – and this guide from ETM Recycling will teach you just that.
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Is Wood Recyclable?
Wood is generally considered to be a recyclable material. Since it’s grown from an organic source, untreated wood is naturally able to be decomposed or reused in other products. However, not all wood is recyclable – depending on its classification and Grade, it may be subject to testing before recycling can proceed.
Additional features like paint, varnish, nails, plastics, and contaminants can all lead to further processing before the wood can be repurposed – if it still can be.
How is Wood Recycled?
The first step to wood recycling is to categorise it. By finding out what Grade the wood is, those involved in the recycling process can properly determine what the next steps should be.
If possible, wood should then be reclaimed without much additional processing. However, if it is in an unfit state for that, industrial machines can be used to shred the wood. The wood chips can then be further refined through the use of powerful magnets before being repurposed into panel boards or fuel, or they can undergo even more processing depending on the desired use.
Any wood that cannot be repurposed or recycled should be disposed of correctly, through the appropriate waste management channels.
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Why You Should Recycle Wood
Everyone needs to do their part to help the environment. Business activities, home renovations, and construction all result in a large amount of waste materials – wood included. By recycling this wood, you cut down on the amount of waste you send to landfill while also reducing the need for new timber.
Although wood is renewable, it takes time, effort, and energy to grow and process it. Recirculating wood already in the market cuts out a large portion of this, making it more sustainable and easier to acquire.
It’s not just about the environment – limiting the amount of waste you send to landfill is good for your wallet, too. Landfill tax rapidly adds up, which can make the cost of sending wood for recycling a more economical option.
What is Recycled Wood Used For?
Once it’s been processed to the appropriate degree, there are a variety of different applications that recycled wood is suitable for. Some of these include:
- Landscape Surfaces. Mulches or ground covering for gardens, pathways lined with decking boards or epoxy-resin-cased shredded wood, horse gallops, and wood chip play areas; these areas can all benefit from properly recycled wood that has been inspected as per the Wood Waste Regulations.
- Animal Bedding. Fine woodchips make a soft and comfortable bedding material for horses, cattle, commercial and domestic poultry, guinea pigs, rabbits, and many more household and farmyard creatures.
- Panel Boards. Shredded wood can be used to create sheet materials like plywood, particleboard, chipboard, OSB, and MDF. Since they’re made from processed wood, these materials have no need to use fresh timbers, making them the perfect target for wood recycling efforts.
- By burning chipped wood at specialist biomass facilities, the resultant energy can be used as a greener way to power many industrial processes. Utilising proper carbon capture in this process is crucial to limit environmental impacts from burning.
Of the wood that gets recycled, Community Wood Recycling reports that 65% is chipped to be used as biomass fuel. Panel board manufacture commands another 26%, and the remaining 9% accounts for animal bedding and landscaping applications.
Wood Waste Regulations 2023/2024
New wood waste regulations in 2023 changed the way hazardous wood waste, and wood waste from before 2007, must be treated with regards to recycling. These regulations were brought about by testing from the Wood Recyclers Association (WRA), which led to additional classifications for wood waste.
Ten additional wood waste categories were designated as hazardous as part of the regulations. These include:
- Engineering
- Hydraulic
- Boats and ships
- Shipping materials
- Telegraph poles
- Trailer beds
- Railway sleepers
- Creosote-treated wood
- CCA-treated wood
- Pre-2007 wood waste
While this list might seem quite long, it only makes up less than 1% of overall wood waste. The regulations state that products from these categories must be inspected and, if possible, treated before they’re recycled – otherwise they should be disposed of – so it’s crucial to be vigilant about your wood waste. This is especially true for construction and demolition (C&D) as many of the hazardous categories fall under this industry.
Learn more about the current and upcoming changes to wood waste regulations >
What is the Wood Waste Regulations RPS 250?
To aid with the transition for household wood waste management, the government issued a regulatory position statement (RPS) 250 which applies to fence posts and decking. This gives the industry time to sample, test, and apply permits for hazardous wood waste handling. The RPS 250 wood waste regulations will be in effect until 30 September 2024, whereafter hazardous wood waste must be properly separated and consigned as hazardous.
What are Wood Waste Grades?
Wood waste grades are a method of categorising the types of wood waste so they can be more easily directed down the appropriate funnel for processing. This also helps to determine whether or not each type of wood is easily recyclable, and the steps to be considered if they aren’t.
Following wood waste grades allows recyclers to maximise the value derived from each resource while preventing cross-contamination. A particular issue for certain types of wood is that they may contain toxic or hazardous materials which wouldn’t be fit for use in areas with direct contact with people, such as wood chips for a playground.
There are four grades for wood waste:
Grade A: Also known as clean wood, this category includes untreated, unpainted, and toxin-free woods that haven’t had any special procedures applied. Since there aren’t any contaminants, Grade A wood has extremely high recycling potential for any avenue of wood waste recycling.
Grade B: Painted or varnished wood will typically fall into this category. While there is some presence of contaminants, typically these are easily removed. However, since traces could be left behind, Grade B wood waste will typically be recycled into materials, mulch, or compost.
Grade C: This category contains heavily contaminated wood from sources that don’t fall under Grade D classification. Specialist techniques are usually required to remove the hazardous substances from this wood, and it is then only suitable for processes like biomass fuel generation.
Grade D: Under the Wood Waste Regulations 2023, Grade D wood was created to signify wood types that should be treated as hazardous without specialist intervention. These woods, including pre-’07 wood waste, all either need to be disposed of or carefully inspected and treated to remove harmful substances.
Find out about wood waste grades and their role in wood recycling >
The Benefits of Recycling Wood
As well as the regulatory considerations, there are also lots of benefits to you for recycling wood. Here are our top six:
- Reduce the amount sent to landfill. Recycling your waste wood helps you to cut down on landfill tax, prevent your regular waste bins from overfilling, and prevent unsustainable waste management.
- Reduce your spend on materials. Recycled materials are cheaper to buy and process than new timber, so using recycled timber – and recycling your own – will help to cut costs and feed into this loop.
- Save trees. By using materials that are already in circulation, less trees need to be cut down to meet our wood requirements. This helps to protect our forests, which are vital in absorbing and storing carbon.
- Prevent fire hazards. Stockpiles of wood that haven’t been dealt with can present a fire risk. By recycling this wood, you free up space on your land while also lowering the risk and potential impact of a fire breaking out.
- Broad range of uses. There are many uses for recycled wood, from materials to fuel, and recycling it can often be a simple process. Out of all the materials that can be recycled, wood is perhaps one of the most versatile and important.
- Better public perception. Green practices are a massive part of modern business. Ensuring you reach environmental standards by your target times means being aware of each and every material you use. Furthermore, showing that you engage in, and respect, recycling practices will improve your perception in the public eye – leading to better returns in the future.
Check out our full list of wood recycling benefits >
Wood Recycling for Home Developments
When you’re planning the waste management for your home development, you need to be conscious about the wood you’re replacing and where it should end up.
Wood waste from construction and development (C&D) often falls under Grade D classification as per the Wood Waste Regulations 2023. As such, it is essential that all waste from home developments is handled correctly.
Some of the main sources of wood waste from home developments or renovations are:
- Furniture
- Decking
- Cladding
- Plywood from walls
- Pallets from materials used in the construction
- Biological material like removed trees
There are many more sources of wood than just these, showing the need to understand how each is categorised and where it should end up. Using skips and a good waste management partner can help you manage your waste and ensure it is delivered to the proper channels.
Explore why you need to hire a skip for home renovations >
Wood Waste Management and Recycling in Bristol
If you want to ensure the best overall management of your waste and recycling, especially for wood-based products, then you need to work with a reliable waste management partner. At ETM Recycling, we provide a quick and efficient service for wood waste management, helping you to do your part for the environment. Contact our team to book a skip or find out more.
Find out more about the wood recycling services we offer to clients throughout Bristol and Bath >
