Chris Franklin, MD at Ranheat Engineering Ltd – a leading UK manufacturer of wood combustion equipment – continues his series of articles exclusively for Furniture & Joinery Production Magazine.
This month, Chris writes about the changes made by Planning & Environment Decisions Wales, and the spiralling costs of wood-waste disposal, something that is particularly pertinent for MDF.
Most processes involving wood-waste, either on-site or off-site, need some sort of permit from either the Environment Agency, SEPA or local authority or in Wales, The Welsh Environment Agency.
A recent application for a permit to process wood waste into animal bedding at a Welsh site was turned down. Following an appeal, the decision not to grant a permit was upheld. This decision resulted, in brief, that man-made boards such as MDF and MFC and Chipboard and OSB, etc. could not be used in animal bedding.
“I conclude that the waste operation to produce animal bedding material on the site has the real potential to have a significant adverse impact on human and animal health and the environment,” commented the inspector involved in turning down the appeal.
“The need to protect human and animal health and the environment can only be adequately safeguarded by the refusal of the permit application.”
Based on this decision, it is likely that this stance will be adopted in Scotland, England and Northern Ireland.
As a result of this decision, wood-waste recycling companies will no longer be able to use MDF, Chipboard and MFC dust, etc. in animal bedding, and consequently will be unlikely to want to take it anymore.
With this in mind, the only certain option is to burn the dust and other extracted material on-site and use it to heat the factory or process heating. This ties in nicely with the change to water-based finishes that require energy to dry the product, even in the summer.
Conventional fuels, oil, gas and electricity can only really go up in price in real terms.
A typical Ranheat warm air system with 150 kW output has the ability to dispose of 5-6 tonnes of material per week and heat a process drying facility and a factory of up to 10,000ft2.
Yes, a permit is needed, but at the moment, this only requires an exemption (done online and at no cost) to burn waste from an industrial process. Yes, planning for the chimney and chimney height approval would still be needed. If you process more than 1,000 m3 of wood-based products, MDF, etc. in a year, then you still need a separate permit for this, even if you don’t have a wood-burner.
This decision by the Welsh Environment Agency has the potential to change how wood waste is seen. Arguably, the best use for dust and extracted material is to utilise them on-site in a Ranheat system. The systems have been tested and are eligible for inclusion into Smoke Control areas as Exempt appliances.
Contact Ranheat for further information on all types and sizes of industrial woodburning equipment from 75 kW upwards.
01604 750005
