Information from Harvard University reports that by the early 2000s, more than 95 percent of the native forests in the United States had been felled, so anyone using woodworking machines should be careful not to waste this precious resource. 

More than two-thirds of the wood used in the UK is imported. In the UK, we generate around 5 million tonnes of waste wood every year. In 1996, less than 200,000 tonnes of waste wood were recycled. By 2010, tonnage recovered had risen to nearly 2.8 million. 

In the UK, every man, woman, and child consumes a ton of wood every year. The UK currently consumes around 3% of world wood consumption. The UK has only about 1% of the world’s population, yet it is three times the world’s per capita wood consumption rate. 

Staggering statistics are catching up with us at a very alarming rate. Resources are rapidly depleting, and we have no choice but to recycle anything that is recyclable, including wood. Can you imagine cutting down 95% of old-growth forests in 200 years? What if this trend continues into the future? There may be no forests for generations to come. You might want to ask yourself how to recycle wood, but here’s how.

Why do we use reclaimed wood? First, it is a sustainable alternative to using virgin wood. The moisture content of reclaimed wood is about 20% compared to 60-70% of virgin wood; it lasts longer and consumes less energy during processing.

By recycling rather than landfilling, we don’t have to pay landfill taxes for most of the waste we collect. Recycling will ultimately save money as the cost of disposal through landfills goes up. If wood is allowed to rot in landfills, it contributes methane to greenhouse gas production. Methane is 23 times more greenhouse gas and 23 times more powerful than carbon dioxide.

Reclaimed wood has several identifiable characteristics. Since trees usually grow in old-growth forests, this results in slower growth, which means stronger, denser trunks.

The latest technologies used in wood recycling plants and woodworking machinery are making processing more efficient and economical. An emerging market for wood chips is as a renewable fuel for energy production. Major power generation companies are planning to build large-scale power stations that will consume large amounts of recycled wood chips.

Projects are underway to use reclaimed wood to heat schools, public buildings, and nurseries. The government has committed 15% of the UK’s energy needs to come from renewable sources by 2020. There are many companies or local social enterprises that have set up wood recycling programs, so if you are not currently involved in wood recycling, now is a good time to do so.

We should firmly establish awareness of wood recycling. This is not only an environmental-friendly action but also can gain profit for us. There are a great variety of wood waste recycling machines on the market, such as wood crusher, wood pallet machine, wood shaving machine, wood chipper, etc. As a leading wood waste recycling manufacturer, Shuliy machinery provides a complete range of wood recycling equipment to suit your projects. Please let us know if anything.