Intro to Wood Waste

If a company isn't recycling its wood waste, it is literally throwing money into a landfill. Wood waste, or "secondary wood fiber," as is perhaps more appropriate, is a major component of the Forest Products Industries, Construction and Demolition waste as well as the Municipal Solid waste streams. There are a variety of end uses for secondary wood fiber and can be a valuable commodity.

Secondary wood wastes have many markets ranging from bio fuel use to pulp and paper applications, though the most profitable must meet strict industry specifications. Meeting these specifications is easy with the proper equipment and operation procedures. All recovered wood can have value, though some types are more valuable than others.

Recovered Wood Types

Clean Wood

• Mill Residuals (Sawmill shavings, Re-man residuals)
• Forestry Residuals (Agricultural Wood)
• Urban Wood (Pallets & Crates, Lumber, Engineered Wood, Sorted Demolition Wood)
• Land Clearing Wood (Brush & Branches)

Mixed Wood Waste

• Demolition Wood Waste (Roofing & Siding)
• Commingled Demolition Wood Waste
• Treated Wood Waste

Processing Techniques

PoweMaster Recyclone is the best in the industry at Processing Wood Waste. And here's why:

1. reduces moisture content and moisture. makes cheaper to ship material. and waste to energy savings

2. sig lower energy costs and maint costs. nrg will cost less than 1/2 of competition and maint 1/10th of competition

3. unlike competition, other machines are not adjustable for particle size. can adjust for particle board size down to - -1" for fuel use. for composting and landscape mulch, - 1/2" nominal

End Use Applications

High Value Applications:

Pulp & Paper

Pulp and paper applications in certain parts of the country represent the greatest potential for growth in utilizing secondary wood fiber. Because of strong prices and limited supply of virgin material, Construction, Demolition and Landclearing (CDL) wood waste sources are becoming increasingly attractive as mills struggle to meet long term fiber needs. Additionally, secondary wood fiber can have longer and stronger fibers than some of the virgin pulp on the market, which is an additional plus for the Industry. However, Pulp and Paper end use requires very clean material. This means that recyclers must be able to limit the number of contaminants.

Reconstituted Panelboard

The infrastructure for utilizing material in this application is limited to certain areas of the country. This market generally pays less for feed stock material than pulp and paper producers. The ability of wood waste processors to access any of the fiber market applications, including these and others depends on their ability to supply "clean" material that meets industry specs.

Composite Products

As wood resources dwindle, and consumers are interested in long lasting building products, composite products made out of plastics and wood will gain a strong hold in the market place. These products are already being used in some settings, and development for further uses is in process.

Mid-Value Markets

Other Applications:

• fiber-composite applications
• animal bedding
• interim road beds
• mulch and soil amendments
• bulking agents for compost production
• chemical derivatives
• processed fuel pellets or blends

Biomass Combustion (Hog fuel)

This has historically been and continues to be the largest market for recovered wood wastes. Industrial conversion to lower cost fuels such as natural gas and the increased stringency of air quality control requirements will continue to erode demand for hog fuel (bio fuel) material. As this market declines, processors who produce only low-grade wood chips will have to find other markets, such as compost. The alternative is to make some capital investment that will bring chips up to the specifications of higher value markets, and improving their profitability.

Contact us if you are interested in utilizing wood waste or starting a wood waste recycling program!