Wood recycling options
Examples of uses for recycled wood and an overview of the quality standards for recycled wood materials.
Recycled wood products come from post-consumer and post-industrial sources. Legislation, such as that controlling what can be disposed of in landfill, means that there are opportunities for businesses that recycle wood.
Uses for recycled wood
Good quality timber in whole pieces can be used in a variety of applications - for example joinery, furniture manufacture, packaging and fencing. Waste wood which is not of a high enough quality for these uses may still be recycled into chips or sawdust for use in:
- landscaping products - for example mulches, surfacing material for pathways and play surfaces
- equestrian products
- animal bedding products
Contamination and wood recycling
Wood must be free of any contamination before it can be supplied as recycled product. Many applications for its use will not be available if the wood has been treated with substances such as arsenic-based and copper-based preservatives.
It may often be difficult to know whether reclaimed wood has been treated, and with which substances, especially if the wood is weathered or stained. You should not rely on the testimony of the supplier, especially if they are inexperienced.
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