Posted on 24th December 2021 by Hintons
Wood recycling in the UK has grown dramatically in the past thirty years. The percentage of waste wood being recycled has shot up from 2% in 1990 to a staggering 80% in 2020. That amounts to around four million tonnes of wood being recycled in a single year — and this figure looks set to increase again.
So yes, wood can be recycled, but it’s not quite as simple as throwing your empty glass jars or cardboard boxes into your household recycling bin. In this article, we explain how you can be part of the effort to change the world — one piece of wood at a time.
Why is it important to recycle wood?
It’s important to recycle wood for the same reason as recycling any other material: to protect the environment, preserve resources and reduce carbon emissions. A specific benefit for recycling wood is that it reduces the need to cut down trees because the recycled material can be used instead. This has proven to be a big selling point, and the use and popularity of recycled timber has risen dramatically as consumers and businesses seek out greener ways to manufacture products.
How do you dispose of wood?
Unfortunately, wood is not accepted in your household recycling bin, but you can still drop your used wood off at household waste recycling centres. Check with your local council to find your nearest recycling centre and ensure they accept the wood you wish to recycle.
Alternatively, wood can be recycled via suitable skip hire companies. Many skip hire companies such as Hinton’s Waste will recycle most of the waste that you put in your skip — including wood!
What is the wood recycling process?
Once you’ve disposed of your wood at a household waste recycling centre, the lengthy process of transforming that wood into a reusable form begins.
The stages of wood recycling are:
- Quality control
The wood is checked to make sure it isn’t infected or degraded in some way that might make it unsuitable for recycling.
- Sorting
The wood will be divided by type and grade. This makes the process more efficient and effective.
- Shredding
The sorted wood is loaded into a powerful wood shredder that breaks the pieces down into much smaller components. The exact size of the resulting material will vary depending on what it is needed for, however, most recycled wood will be passed through a secondary shredder to reach a granular consistency.
If a piece remains too large, it will be recirculated through the shredder once more until it is at the desired size. Pieces that have become too small will typically be used as animal bedding so that they don’t need to be sent to landfill.
What items are made from recycled wood?
Wood can be recycled into various materials for use in different products. This includes:
- Building materials
- Mulch
- Pulp
- Fuel
And these products are used for applications in a range of sectors, including:
- Paper production
- Landscaping
- Panel board production
- Wood pellets
- Energy production
- And much more
Do your part to help the world by recycling your used wood. At Hinton’s, we aim to recycle at least 90% of the items you place in your skip. Simply order a skip in a size suitable for your project and we’ll deliver it to your home or business with same-day or next-day delivery. When you’ve filled your skip, our team will take it away to Hinton’s very own recycling centre, where the items will be sorted and recycled to reuse in new products. We even offer wait and load services too. For skip hire in Croydon and Sutton, look no further than Hinton’s Waste.
Contact our team today to order your skip.