INDUSTRY NEWS
Waste wood market remains buoyant according to WRA figures
THE amount of waste wood processed in the UK last year (2018) rose by almost 1.5% from the previous 12 months, according to figures released by the Wood Recyclers’ Association (WRA).
There was also a 10% increase in the processing of grade A material (packaging waste wood) into animal bedding, and biomass wood fuel usage was up by 24% overall, compared to 2017.
The figures are the findings of the WRA’s annual survey of its members which showed that WRA members themselves processed 3.4m tonnes of waste wood last year, an increase of more than 6% on 2017.
It also estimates the amount of waste wood generated in 2018 was around 4.5m tonnes compared to 5m tonnes in 2017. This, it believes, is a reflection of fluctuating economic activity including a slight downturn in construction and DIY.
“Biomass usage in the UK was up by 24% to 2.1m tonnes last year,” said Julia. “This is a reflection of the number of new plants that have come on stream. Biomass is now the biggest single user of waste wood in the UK and has doubled since 2016.
The WRA estimates the total UK figure
for waste wood processed was 3.75m tonnes in 2018.
This is a reflection not only of more waste wood being processed, but more processors joining the WRA, which now represents over 90% of the UK’s waste wood industry. In 2017 it represented 86%.
Using these statistics, the WRA estimates the total UK figure for waste wood processed was 3.75 million tonnes in 2018 - an increase of 1.43% on the previous year.
Julia Turner, Executive Director of the WRA, said the statistics show the UK’s waste wood industry remains buoyant but highlighted that a drop in estimated waste wood availability could see the UK needing to import waste wood as more biomass plants come on stream, or look to use alternative fuels.
“There are circa 30 larger scale biomass plants in total planned for the UK. We don’t expect there to be any more but when all of those are commissioned and operational, it will see a huge demand for waste wood in the UK which could mean we have to import some fuel.”
Export figures for waste wood remained similar last year as in 2017 at 313,000 tonnes. This was due to the fact that the UK was processing for planned biomass plants that faced delays in commissioning, so the fuel continued to be exported.
Panel board usage was slightly lower in 2018 at 877,000 tonnes compared to 924,000 tonnes in 2017. This was caused by one of the plants being down for a short period of time.
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