PRODUCTS & SERVICES
Dramatic improvement in water and air The truth about good forestry husbandry
quality since installing Hanovia UV
Since the middle
Since installing Hanovia UV disinfection systems for its two indoor of the 20th
swimming pools, the Royal Russell School in Surrey, has seen a dramatic Century, the
improvement in both water developed world
and air quality. There has also has become
been a significant reduction in increasingly aware
chemical usage. of the ecological
As bather loads have importance of
been increasing year on year forests, in
and eventually surpassed the particular the
pools’ original design load tropical
capacity, Pool Manager Bob rainforests.
Ellis felt that the water They are, we all know, the “lungs of the world” absorbing CO
2
and
treatment system needed an breathing out the oxygen we all need to live. They are home to a mind-
upgrade. He therefore opted for UV, not only because of the improved boggling wealth of plant and animal life – a biodiversity so rich that
disinfection it offers, but also because of its primary advantages: no myriad species remain unknown to science.
more ‘chlorine smell’ and sore eyes (caused by chloramines), lower It’s no wonder, then, that global deforestation is widely regarded as
running costs and easier operation. An additional advantage is that UV Mankind’s most heinous crime against the planet. The wanton
can help lower TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) levels, which are difficult to destruction of forest in the pursuit of mineral deposits and land for
control with a ‘chemical only’ pool treatment system. UV is also highly development is rightly condemned by all who care about the
effective against Cryptosporidium, a microorganism that is notoriously environment.
resistant to chlorine. So chopping down trees is bad, right?
UV is well known for reducing both TDS levels and chloramines (also Wrong! Although nobody would argue that the destruction of the
known as combined chlorines) – the unpleasant chemicals formed when rainforests is to be condemned, responsible forest management is a
chlorine combines with the organic compounds deriving from human use world away from the slash-and-burn plundering we all deplore; and
of the water. actively benefits the environment.
“We always managed to keep chloramine levels quite low (typically Timber and timber-based products are indispensable to our way of
about 1.0ppm) even before we started using UV,” commented their life – used as a building material, for furniture or in the form of paper.
Engineering Services Manager. “Since UV was installed, however, All these products rely on softwood grown and harvested as a crop
chloramine levels are as low as 0.2ppm, which has significantly in managed forests across the temperate regions of the world. Far from
improved both water and air quality. TDS levels have also halved since depleting a finite resource, modern forestry is all about sustaining
UV was introduced, which means the water is now much clearer. Pool constant growth and managing production.
users have really noticed and commented on the improved pool Just as an arable farmer sows, grows and harvests his produce year
atmosphere.” www.hanovia.com on year, so the forestry industry raises trees for timber. Only the timescale
(up to 80 years for a mature Douglas Fir) is different.
Handheld Chlorine Tester for Potable Water
A tree’s ability to absorb CO
2
from the atmosphere and store it in
the form of wood fibre is greatest when the tree is young and needs the
Palintest Ltd. has launched a new digital Chlorometer for fast, accurate carbon to fuel its growth. So the forestry practice of felling mature trees
and easy chlorine level measurement. The new product uses the tried and replanting young seedlings in their place helps to maintain carbon
and tested DPD standard method in conjunction with a photometric absorption at a consistently high level.
analyser to give near-instant results. This method produces highly The carbon in the harvested tree remains locked away if the wood
accurate results, and is not subject to interpretation errors that can come fibre is used in the manufacture of products such as the OSB and MDF
with a purely human visual colour boards manufactured by Norbord. Only if the wood fibre is burned, or is
judgement. allowed to rot, does that carbon get released back into the atmosphere.
The new Chlorometer is very It is normal practice in the forestry industry to plant two or three new
easy to use, with just 4 intuitive buttons seedlings for every tree harvested. As these grow, they are thinned out to
and a menu that uses universal symbols prevent overcrowding, leaving the best specimens to grow to maturity.
instead of individual languages on The thinnings and sawmill residues, essentially by-products, are put to
its LCD display screen. While its small good use by Norbord as the raw material for its OSB and MDF products.
size (150 x 65 x 40mm) and light Today, environmentally sustainable wood products are easily
weight (200g) make the unit ideal for identified thanks to the adoption of schemes such as the Forest
in-field and on-site testing, its accuracy Stewardship Council certification scheme which provides an
(± 0.02 @ 1 mg/l) makes it suitable for bench use in both laboratories independently verifiable path from forest to consumer. Norbord, in
and treatment plants. Test ranges are 0.01-5.0 mg/l for Free and Total partnership with a leading DIY chain, was instrumental in introducing
Chlorine levels, with the Chlorometer Duo variant for HR chlorine tests FSC certification to the wood panel products industry during the early
for concentrations up to 250mg/l due to be launched in January. 1990s.
With an IP67 rating, the instrument is robust and waterproof, and The belief that cutting down trees is bad is a widespread
can be supplied in either a hard or soft carry-case that also holds a store misconception, but the facts prove that sustainable forest management
of reagents and test tubes. It uses only 2 AA batteries, giving around has a net beneficial effect on the environment. We all use forest products
5,000 readings thanks to its low power operation and auto switch-off every day of our lives; as long as those products are from sustainable
setting when not in use. The zero reading is held in memory between sources, we can carry on using them with a clear conscience.
uses, or can be reset for each test, while the new narrow band For further information on Norbord, please call 01786 812 921
wavelength filters provide unparalleled wavelength accuracy for a or visit www.norbord.com.
handheld monitor. www.palintest.com
SUSTAINABLE FM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2009
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