Promotion of wood waste recycling in furniture manufacturing
  Background

The constructive use of wood waste is an important issue for furniture manufacturers. The sector is one which faces rising imports and difficult market conditions which limit the potential for raising prices. At the same time costs are rising especially in areas such as waste management. 

Therefore, it is essential that furniture companies minimise those costs which are within their control such as waste disposal costs. As part of this project, a study was undertaken of 72 furniture manufacturers. The study showed that companies were paying up to £260 for the disposal of a 35 yard3 skip of wood waste. Others were able to utilise recycling options resulting in no disposal costs or even revenues of up to £400 for the same sized skip.

Differences identified by the study were not confined to disposal. Wood consumption rates varied greatly even between companies producing similar items. For example, wood spend as a percentage of turnover among domestic upholstery companies ranged from 0.6% to 30%, with an average of 6.5%. There was also a significant range of wood wastage rates. For example, softwood wastage ranged from 0.5% to 67%. It is interesting to note that the company at the top end of the softwood wastage rate has folded since the survey.  

The work undertaken with these companies allowed an attempt to be made at extrapolation to give an idea of the sector’s current disposal routes. Landfill is still a major player, accounting for 22% of all wood waste. Only animal bedding (23%) and wood waste combustion (28%) accounted for more material.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Project aims

The project objectives were:

1.    Evaluation of the wood waste recycling options available to the furniture manufacturing industry and documenting the variables which contribute to the viability of each option, for example wood waste quality, quantity, distance/transport, costs, savings, etc.

2.     Quantification of wood waste from a variety of furniture manufacturing operations and evaluation of the scope for further recycling.

3.     Publication of a good practice document, highlighting the recycling options available and the variables which contribute to the viability of each option.  The document will serve to educate producers of waste in the furniture manufacturing industry and enable them to perform a more accurate costs analysis.  Case studies will be documented to further encourage the uptake of recycling options by those organisations that have traditionally disposed of their wood waste to landfill.

The major deliverables for the project were:

  1. Visits and surveys of furniture manufacturers to review and quantify their use of wood, wood waste generation, current waste management practices and the scope for recycling.

  2. Visits to wood waste reprocessors to investigate the options available to the furniture manufacturing industry.

  3. Desk study of the options available for recycling of waste wood generated by the furniture manufacturing industry.

  4. Publication of a good practice document, highlighting the recycling options available to the furniture manufacturing industry.

  5. Dissemination events/seminars to promote the findings of the research and the good practice document.

  
 
 

WRAP (the Waste & Resources Action Programme) is a not-for-profit company supported by funding from DEFRA, the DTI and the devolved administrations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. It is working to promote sustainable waste management by creating stable and efficient markets for recycled materials and products.