UTILISATION OF WASTE

WOOD
Increased utilization of wood waste can help decrease our Nations
dependence on foreign energy purchases, generate energy cost savings,
produce renewable energy, develop bio-based business, enhance the
efficiencies of forest and range management efforts, reduce the amount of
wood waste disposed of in landfills and stimulate local economic
development. For this first we have to understand what actually is wood
waste, secondly; identify its source and at last how we can utilize them near
to the best efficiency.
WOOD WASTE:
Any part of wood which is left considering it of no use is recommended as
wood waste. For example branches, stumps, sawdust, slabs etc.
TYPES OF WOOD RESIDUES:
Mainly there are two types of residues.
1. Logging residues
2. Industrial waste
Logging residues include buttress, cross cutting residues, crown, branches,
logs left in forest, stem offcuts, stump.
Industrial waste is again divided into
I.
II.
III.

Logging transporting residues

Logs left or rejected at loading station, waterway transportation.
Primary processing waste
Bark, core, slab, sawdust, shorts, trimming, veneer waste, defective
pieces caused by processing.
Secondary processing waste
Mold woods, sawdust, shavings, old construction roofs and stakes etc.

TYPE OF RESIDUES
1. Logging residues
2. Wood waste

SHARE (%)
57

Sawmills
Plywood plants
Other processing plants

TOTAL

40
2
1
43
100

WOOD WASTE CLASSIFICATION:

Wood wastes have been broadly classified into two:
1. Unavoidable Waste
Unavoidable wastes are those wood wastes that cannot be avoided or
prevented
even
where the saws kerf is minimal and the mill workers are efficient. These
include sawdust, inconvertible slabs and strips.
2. Avoidable Waste
Avoidable wastes, on the other hand, is caused by lack of
Pre-inspection of trees and logs
Adequate saw maintenance
Poor harvesting techniques
Which result in residues in the forest in the form of branches, tree crowns, off
cuts, twigs, stumps, small diameter sized timbers, substandard lumbers which
are inaccurately processed or converted.
SOURCES OF WOOD WASTE:
All types and sources of wood waste are mainly organized in three major
categories:
Forest biomass
Wood processing residual by-products
Urban wood waste
Within these three major categories, the following eight supply sources were
identified:

Forest Biomass
1. Commercial logging and forest fuel management
2. Range improvement contractors
Wood Processing Residual By-Products
1. Primary wood products manufacturing business
2. Secondary wood products manufacturing business
Urban Wood Waste
1. Municipal waste disposal facilities
2. Tree care- private business
3. Tree care- city governments
4. Utility companies

FOREST BIOMASS:

Commercial Logging: Forest biomass generated by commercial

timber harvest represents a significant source of wood waste supply.
The available amount of this type of wood waste is ultimately
dependent upon timber harvest levels. The four phases of timber
harvest include:
Tree logging
Log processing
Loading
Hauling
The log processing involves cutting the tree into appropriate sizes for
loading and hauling, and, the removal of limbs, tops and other unmerchantable portions of the tree. The wood waste generated as a
result of log processing is commonly known as logging slash or forest
residue.
Fuel Management and Range Improvement Contractors: In some
forests, softwood trees are managed in order to reduce forest fuels.
Management activities to achieve fuel reduction generate various kind
of waste in terms of cones, needles, branches etc. Similarly to improve
range condition certain tree species are removed which have lethal
affect on forage condition and livestock. Management activities include
tree thinning and tree removal.

WOOD PROCESSING RESIDUAL BY-PRODUCTS:

Primary Processors:
Primary wood processors are businesses that manufacture wood products
using logs or other round wood as raw material. Manufactured wood
products include lumber, veneer, logs, firewood, shavings and wooden
fencing materials (posts, poles, and rails). The primary bio products are
bark, sawdust, chips and shavings. In many situations tree bark is
removed prior to initial processing, which results in the generation of bark
as a by-product. The wood products manufacturing by-product sawdust is
produced during the initial log break down phase and as lumber is edged
and trimmed. Slabs produced during the initial log breakdown phase and
can be further processed into chips and/or wood mulch. Shavings are
produced by planning lumber to produce a smooth surface.
The residues generated from the forest products industry may be divided
into two parts; that which results from harvesting and extracting logs from
the forest, and generally considered of no economic use for further
processing, and that which is generated by the forest industries
themselves during the process of manufacturing timber, plywood,
particleboard and the like namely:

Type of residue

Source
Forest
operations

Branches, needles, leaves, stumps, roots, low grade and

decayed wood, slashing and sawdust

Sawmilling

Bark, sawdust, trimmings, split wood, planer shavings, sander

dust

Plywood
production

Bark, core, sawdust, lillypads, veneer clippings and waste,

panel trim, sander dust

Particleboa
rd
production

Bark, screening fines, panel trim, sawdust, sander dust

The actual production of residues, or waste, generated from the manufacture

of wood products, differs from plant to plant and depends on several factors,
from the properties of the wood to the type, operation and maintenance of
the processing plant. However, mean averages apply to each type of
industry, which is summarized in Table
Table. Proportion of residues generated in selected forest products
industries
Sawmilli
ng

Plywood
Manu.

Particleboard
Manu.

Integrated
Operations

Finished product
(range)

45-55

40-50

85-90

65-70

Finished product
(average)

50

47

90

68

Residues/Fuel

43

45

24

Losses

Total

100

100

100

100

Secondary Processors:

Secondary wood processors are defined as businesses that manufacture

wood products from lumber, partially manufactured logs, or residue from
primary wood products manufacturing. Secondary products include cabinets,
shipping pallets, construction stakes, roof and floor trusses, interior doors,
picture frames, hardwood molding and trophy plaques.
Secondary processes primarily produce sawdust and shavings-chips and
barks are not a common by-product of secondary processing.

URBAN WOOD WASTE:

Municipal Waste Disposal Facilities:

The category known as municipal waste consists of everyday household and

business garbage, construction and demolition waste and also includes other
wood waste generated as a result of lawn maintenance and urban forest
management activities. The study defined suitable urban wood waste as the
portion of the municipal waste stream that includes pruned branches,
stumps, and whole trees from street and park maintenance, wooden shipping
pallets and woody material from land clearing activities. While unsuitable
urban wood waste is that generated from construction and demolition
activities and commonly contain wood preservation chemicals, paint and
adhesives.

Tree Care Service and Utility Companies:

The disposal of whole trees, tree branches and other wood waste generated
as a result of urban forest management represents a potential future supply
of bio-energy feedstock.
In general it may be said that of a typical tree, less than two-thirds is taken
from the forest for further processing, the remainder being either left, burnt
or collected as fuelwood by the local inhabitants. After processing, only 28
percent of the original tree becomes lumber, the remainder being residues,
as indicated in Table.
Table. Division of a typical tree harvested for sawn timber

Tree part or product

Portion
(%)

Left in the forest:

Top, branches and foliage

23.0

Stump (excluding roots)

10.0

Sawdust

5.0

Sawmilling:
Slabs, edgings and off-cuts

17.0

Sawdust and fines

7.5

Various losses

4.0

Bark

5.5

Sawn timber
Total

28.0
100.0

Why Recycle Wood Waste?

There are a number of important reasons to recycle urban wood
waste; the following discussion summarizes the primary reasons.

1. Landfill Cost and Space Savings :

Landfill costs can be avoided by recycling wood wastes, generating savings
that, along with revenue from the sale of recovered wood waste materials,
can be credited toward the processing costs associated with recovery. For
example, assuming a landfill density of 1,000 lb/yd 3, the 29.6 million tons of
wood waste disposed of annually consume about 59 million yd3 of landfill
space each year. If the landfill averages 50 ft in height and a 3/1 side slope is
assumed, this volume translates to more than 1,350 acres of landfill space
consumed by wood wastes per year.
2. Environmental Benefits:
The environmental benefits attributable to wood waste utilization depend on
the method of recovery. The major direct environmental benefits appear to be
most noteworthy and quantifiable when wood waste is used to displace coal
for electricity or steam generation. When wood is used to displace high sulfur
bituminous coal, sulfur emissions can be reduced by more than 80%. Using
wood waste frees up landfill space, contributes to sequestering of carbon,
reduces carbon dioxide emissions from processing virgin material, and
contributes to sustainable use of natural resources. Environmental issues
accompany the environmental benefits of recycling wood waste, especially
demolition wood waste. For example, in the case of waterborne wood
preservatives, there is a concern about chemical leaching (if the wood is used
as mulch) or concentration in the ash (if the processed wood is used as boiler
fuel). These environmental issues are currently being researched.
3. Natural Resource Benefits:
Recovering and recycling wood from the waste stream result in the
conservation of natural resources. For example, more than 1 billion pallets are
put into circulation each year, 50% of these pallets are designed for a singleuse trip. The pallet market is an important outlet for lumber mills that serve
the high quality furniture industry. By developing new markets for wood waste,
forest owners have more opportunities to offset the costs of sustainable forest
management and improve the overall health of the forests.

UTILIZATION OF WASTE WOOD:

How we can utilize the waste wood and residues is always a question. Here
we discussed some of the possible uses practice around the globe.

1. Bark :
What to do with barks is a major question facing the wood conversion
industries. Optimum utilization of bark residues demands appreciation of the
complexity of bark and the extreme variation in chemical and physical
properties between barks of different wood species. Surplus bark is currently

the most perplexing residue problem facing the wood conservation

industries. Bark has useful byproducts waiting for the right economic
conditions or the development of satisfactory commercial purposes.
Efficient bark utilization can create a new industry and boost the economy by
making a valuable asset out of a costly waste.
Bark Product Variety
Bark has a long history of utility ranging from the Indians birch-bark
canoes to the tapa cloth of the South Pacific. Following materials can be
derived from bark.
1. Cork

2. Fiber

3. Tannins

4. Dyes

5. Resins

6. Gums

7. Latex material

8. Arrow poisons

9. Flavors

10.

Fish poisons

11.

12.

Medicines

Antibiotics

Among some of the varied products obtained from bark are the

flavoring, cinnamon
The anti-malarial drug, quinine
The powerful aphrodisiac, yohimbine, used by animal breeders
The cocktail ingredient, Angostura bitters
The root beer flavoring, sassafras.

The tremendous range of products obtainable from bark is a reflection not

only of the complexity of bark itself, but also of the extreme differences
between barks of different species. A most interesting utilization of bark is
as a source of chemical extracts with medicinal or physiological properties.
Barks containing this type of extract are largely limited to tropical species.

Low-Grade Utilization of bark:

The complexity of bark and the extreme variation in chemical and
physical properties between barks has already been pointed out. Thus, any
high-grade utilization scheme will usually require large amounts of clean,
dry bark from a single species. Frequently, this requirement is not met--the
bark is obtained as a mixture of species or in amounts insufficient for
economical commercial processing to high-grade products. Even when
bark is processed to high-grade products, some residue always remains.
These factors indicate that initial commercial development should
concentrate on schemes that can utilize whole bark independent of its
physical and chemical properties.
Charcoal:

Charcoal for recreational use has increased sharply. Bark from mechanical
de-barkers, and slab wood, high in bark content, form an important portion of
the raw material for this charcoal. Bark is normally assumed to have high ash
content. This is not necessarily true. Clean bark has ash content only slightly
higher than that of wood. Bark does, however, readily pick up dirt, sand, and
grit, both windborne while the tree is still standing, and from the ground
during felling and dragging. Charcoal from bark is more easily crumbled than
wood charcoal and contains a higher percentage of fines.
Wood-base Materials:
Another outlet for bark is in various types of building insulation boards,
hardboards, fiberboards, and particleboards. Various barks have been
incorporated into almost every type of board. Since bark conducts heat
less readily than wood, its use in insulation board would seem particularly
attractive. In addition, many softwood barks are relatively rich in resins and waxes,
and this can obviate the need for sizing. Indeed, the higher extractive content of
bark may be an aid in binding the particles together.
SAWDUST AND SHAVINGS:
Economical disposal of sawdust and shavings is a problem of growing
concern
to the wood industries. Enormous quantities of sawdust are produced
annually
by
sawmills.
Brief information on various uses of sawdust and shavings is report under
following classifications:
(1) Uses based on special physical qualities.
(2) Fuel uses
(3) Fiber and wood-base board uses.

Physical Qualities:
In seeking markets, it is well to recognize that intrinsic physical qualities of
sawdust and shavings, as well as their cheapness and availability, govern
certain types of use. Sawdust and shavings sometimes are chosen for use
because they are
a) absorbent, as for liquid spill cleanup, mud control, floor coverings,
sweeping compounds, or as a carrier of liquid manure
b) abrasive, as in hand soaps, metal polishes, fur cleaners, or sweeping
compounds
c) bulky and fibrous, as for wood flour, cushioning, packaging, or
lightweight cement aggregate
d) non-conductive, as for insulation

e) Granular as for textured surfaces, for example, in oatmeal wallpaper.

i.
Saw dust and shavings are used as filler for thermosetting resins; in
moldings it confers impact resistance, shrinkage control, and good
electrical insulating characteristics at low cost.
ii. The modified but largely un-decomposed lignin Of the wood remains
as a fertile humus to improve soil tilth and increase the permeability
and water retention of the soil, especially on sandy or clay soils.
iii. Wood particles are also of value when applied above ground as mulch.
In strawberry and blueberry raising, and in orchards, a 4- to 6-inch
layer of wood particles conserves moisture, prevents high soil
temperatures, and reduces the number of weeds. Old sawdust is also
beneficial in establishing turf grasses, for example, for landscaping, in
graveyards, or on golf courses, and in counteracting after effects of
pesticides in soils . Beneficial effects on soils when pests or diseases
are a problem are also frequently observed.
iv.
Another agricultural outlet for sawdust and shavings may be developing in
the field of animal feedstuffs. Cattle raised on high energy grain diets in pens
or feedlots require a certain amount of roughage in their food in order to
promote adequate salivation and digestion. Sawdust appears to fulfill
this need for a roughage ingredient admirably.
v. Highway uses may absorb appreciable quantities of wood and bark
particles even in non agricultural areas. Mulching is used on fresh road
embankments to prevent erosion and to aid the establishment of a
permanent vegetative cover. Winter logging roads of compacted snow
are much improved in bearing capacity by the addition of sawdusts.
FUEL:
Three main classes of fuel uses for sawdust and shavings are:
1. For power and heat at the producing plants
2. In public buildings and power plants
3. Use as briquettes
Since softwoods contain more lignin and terpenes than hardwoods, their
calorific values are higher. Kiln-dried hardwoods produce some 8500200
B.t.u. per pound; softwoods give about 9300300 B.t.u. per pound. This is
about half the amount of heat from fuel oil or three-quarters of that from
mineral coal. In the past few years sawdust and shavings have been used
more and more widely for charcoal briquette production.
Fiber and Wood-Base Board Uses:
Engineered wood products:
Another desirable option for wood waste is feedstock for engineered wood.
Engineered wood is the term given to material derived from smaller pieces of
wood that are bound together through a variety of glues, resins, and other
chemicals to make a wood-like product. Examples of engineered wood

include oriented strand-board, particleboard, glued-laminated

laminated lumber, wood I-joists, and finger-jointed studs.

timber,

Medium-density fiber-board (MDF): It is an engineered wood product

formed by breaking down hardwood or softwood residuals into wood fibers,
often in a, defibrator combining it with wax and a resin binder, and forming
panels by applying high temperature and pressure. MDF is denser than
plywood. It is made up of separated fibers, but can be used as a building
material similar in application to plywood. It is stronger and much denser
than normal particle board.
It is important to note that sawdust and shavings can also be used in
addition to chips for making refiner ground wood which finds uses in
newsprint, tissue, towels and fiberboards.
Major uses of particleboards are for furniture core stock, floor
underlayment,
door cores, cores for kitchen cabinet tops, and wall paneling. At
present,
uses
are mainly for interior applications; but much research is under way to
develop
particleboard suitable for exterior applications, such as house siding,
soffits, and signboards.
In addition to uses in boards, sawdust and shavings bonded with new
and improved resins are molded into chair backs, furniture parts,
croquet balls, pool balls, shuffleboards discs, containers with molded in
depressions for tools such as tap and die sets, and articles of various
other types.
URBAN WOOD WASTE RECYCLING:
Wood waste generated at residential and commercial wood frame
construction sites offers a greater potential for reuse because of the ease of
separating the wood during various stages of construction. Cut-offs and
scraps generated during framing and trimming constitute a relatively clean
and homogeneous waste stream that can make an excellent feedstock for
engineered wood production. This type of wood waste represents a highly
desirable form of recyclable material that processors are eager to obtain.
Demolition operations usually generate a far less desirable form of wood
waste as a result of its non-uniform nature, compounded by commingling of
the wood with other materials. The wood can still be reused, but it generally
has low value and is destined for uses such as boiler fuel or mulch feedstock.
Since demolition activities generate far more waste per square foot than do
construction activities, disposal costs represent a much larger portion of
operating expenses.
Lumber: A desirable option for wood waste management would be to reuse
the structural or architectural elements, which include casings, banisters,

and molding. Large timbers from older or unique structures can be salvaged
and reused as structural elements in new buildings. If lumber is reused as a
structural element, it must be re-certified by a lumber grading inspector.
Mulch or compost feedstock: Chipped wood and bark are common
mulches. Wood is an excellent bulking agent for composting, although a
nitrogen source usually needs to be added.
Biomass fuel: Oven dry wood produces about 9,000 Btu/lb when burned,
and it can be converted to liquid or gaseous fuel. In addition, different forms
of solid fuel such as charcoal are possible. Industrial wood residues are
commonly used for boiler fuel.

Alternative uses of residues:

Residues derived from the forest industries normally do have alternative
outlets, as chips for pulp manufacture, raw materials for particleboard and
fiberboard manufacture and as fuel wood and building materials to local
inhabitants.
Sawmilling

Edgings and slabs

Barked edging chips

Plywood
Peeler log cores
manufactur
e
Core chips
Veneer chipping and chips
particleboa
rd

Low cost building

material, fuel wood and
pulp manufacture
fuel wood and pulp
manufacture
Lumber manufacture
Pulp manufacture
fuelwood

Uses all the above mentioned

residues as raw material for board
manufacture, and the majority of its
own resiues are recycled within the
process

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER ACTION:

Policy development: Assist in the formulation and implementation of
appropriate policies and strategies to support the establishment of a
sustainable wood based bio-energy sector
Technology transfer: Support transfer of wood-based bio-energy
generation and energy saving and efficiency technologies within the
framework of country.

Integrated Timber Industries: Support the creation of integrated timber

industries for efficient management and utilization of waste residues
generated.
Market Developments: Promote the local markets of wood products and
support the certification of these products for exports.
Support R&D: Support research and development studies and projects to
facilitate the efficient and diversified utilization of wood residues and waste
wood.
Information Collection and Demonstration Projects: Support the
sharing of information, knowledge and technology to enable people to work
practically without fears.