Service to collect waste wood

Problem Addressed

According to Community Wood Recycling, around 4.5 million tonnes of waste wood听is听produced every year in the UK. Conventional wood recycling via skips results in the destruction of this valuable resource. Without readily available听affordable听reclaimed wood听consumers听turn to virgin timber for their DIY needs. Skip-based collection methodology results in multiple movements of heavy vehicles with attendant CO2 and particulate emissions.听

Solution Overview

Community wood recycling collects听waste wood and sorts it for reuse.听This means that the timber that听can be used again听is saved, while听that which has no reuse value is recycled by chipping. As the only large-scale commercial alternative to听the听wholesale chipping听of unsorted wood,听it听promotes听the circular economy. The听collection service uses lightweight 3.5 tonne trucks, resulting in a reduction in emissions of both CO2 and pollutants over conventional skip-based services.听听It听estimates听that each tonne of wood rescued saves听499kg of CO2, and that the saving per journey because of our smaller vehicle is 3.2kg. The听social enterprise model gives听people who have faced long term unemployment听or social isolation the chance to develop听the skills and confidence they need to get back into work, benefitting individuals and communities.听

Community wood recycling charge by the cubic yard to reflect the cost of using the conventional alternative, a wood skip. Using the听service is straightforward; all customers need to do is set up a segregated wood bay (the听suggestion is听using three pieces of听heras听fencing) and book a collection when they have sufficient material to fill a 3.5 tonne caged truck.听听The company provide the labour to load the wood.听 By loading vehicles by hand,听void space听is reduced when听compared with using a skip.听

Company name

Community Wood Recycling

UK availability

Yes

Solution launch date

1998

Case Study

Bath Western Riverside – Case Study – Crest Nicholson – Bath Western Riverside BA1 3AY 11.11.19 (1)

499 kg

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