Timber Resource Efficiency PartnershipAnnual Report 2012

Delivering targets towards the joint Government and industry strategy for sustainable construction.

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Foreword

John White – TREP Chairman, and Chief Executive of the Timber Trade Federation

Waste wood is not waste. It has a value, from providing the raw material for particle boards to producing energy. Yet still as much as half a million tonnes of wood waste are sent to landfill every year.

The Timber Resource Efficiency Partnership (TREP) brings together key players in the timber supply chain to seek to reduce this volume of waste.

This has been a very successful year for TREP, during which we have embarked upon an exciting set of actions to address the need to realise the value of what is currently being thrown away. These include additional research, a wood waste measurement tool, training, industry guidance and a pilot of a wood waste collection scheme – all discussed in more detail within this report,. The Partnership is committed to continuing that activity into 2012 and 2013.

However, undoubtedly the greatest success during the past year has been in the wood window sector, where a number of manufacturers, working with their suppliers, were able to standardise the range of sections required to make their respective windows. The resulting efficiencies have reduced waste to around 1%, compared to 25% using solid timber.

The Partnership has exciting plans for the coming year. We will be taking the wood collection concept to implementation stage, developing an easy-to-use waste management solution for smaller companies and launching additional web-based training.

Yet despite the considerable efforts of the Partnership, it is frustrating to report that levels of engagement from some timber companies in the work that has been undertaken remain low. An integral part of our activity for 2012/13 will focus on communicating the message that managing wood waste generates a tangible business benefit, as well as a wider environmental one.

I would like to thank all the trade bodies and companies that have supported TREP during the year, including the Building Research Establishment (BRE), which provided the Secretariat, and WRAP and the BRE Trust who have provided financial support. Finally, I would like to thank John Fletcher who has consistently cajoled, entreated and persuaded all of us to contribute to the above work that he has almost single-handedly steered.

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Iain McIlwee – Chief Executive of the British Woodworking Federation

TREP was set up at the request of the British Woodworking Federation in 2010 as a means of taking forward the actions identified in the Joinery Resource Efficiency Action Plan, and we remain as committed today to the objectives of the Plan. Wood has environmental credentials that, in many applications, are second to none, but to realise these environmental benefits, more still needs to be done across our industry to minimise and recycle waste.

TREP is already playing a significant role in this: delivering great, tangible advice via the newly created training modules, bringing collective wisdom to supply-side issues and making strides in developing practical solutions to the complex waste collection challenge

We are operating in difficult times; manufacturers are stretched, and have made often deep and painful cutbacks in order to survive. Yet this makes TREP all the more important, offering a common approach and focussed support in dealing with a day-to-day challenge that could otherwise get overlooked in the daily battle to keep afloat.

With a strong team assembled, TREP has done much to unify our often fragmented sector. We look forward to the plans developing in the coming months and offer our thanks to all who have committed time, resource and effort to bringing TREP to where it is today.

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Executive Summary

This is the second annual Timber Resource Efficiency Partnership (TREP) Progress Report detailing the actions and achievements of TREP members and the wider wood producing industries during 2011. These include:

TREP met three times during 2011/12.

TREP launched a new online wood waste management tool1 to help wood-using industries to better understand, monitor and manage their waste arisings.

The BWF launched a new online wood waste management e-learning module2 in February 2012 as part of its Online Training Academy. The module is designed to help wood processors save resources and costs from better timber procurement, improved waste management, and more effective disposal of wood waste. It is also useful for timber suppliers to understand the issues around procurement and wood waste disposal and how they can play their role.

Under the ongoing Procurement Practices project, several standard wood stock profiles have been developed for the supply of laminated and enginnered timber sections within the timber sector. The profiles that have been developed cover windows, doors and some staircases, and a number of businesses, including Timbmet, Lathams, and Arnold Lavers, have started to work with these profiles.

Proposals have been put to members on how to take forward TREP’s work from 2012 onwards. One key proposal is a new communications plan, which includes the development of guidance documents and case studies, to help TREP increase the focus on resource efficiency, and drive better engagement across the timber industry.

1 www.wastereporting.co.uk/timber

2 http://elearning.bwf.org.uk

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Contents

Foreword 2

Executive Summary 4

Contents 5

1. Introduction 6

2. About the Timber Resource Efficiency Partnership 7

3. 2011 Progress against the Resource Efficiency Action Plan targets 9

4. Case studies 17

5. Other activity on wood waste across the timber sector 22

Appendix A: Timber Resource Efficiency Partnership members list 27

Appendix B: Timber Resource Efficiency Partnership Constitution 29

Appendix C: Doors and Windows component specification 30

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1. Introduction

This is the second annual TREP Progress Report. It details the actions and achievements of TREP members from across the wood processing industries during 2011 to reduce wood waste to landfill.

TREP’s activities are underpinned by the Joinery Resource Efficiency Action Plan3, published in September 2010. This progress report provides a summary of progress against the original targets and actions detailed in the Action Plan.

1.1 Background: wood consumption and waste in the UK

The joinery industry in the UK is estimated to use between 250-400,000 m3 of timber a year. This is only a small percentage of the annual UK wood consumption of 11 million m3 timber, and a small proportion of the total of 4 million m3 used in construction as a whole..

Around 4.5 million tonnes of waste wood arises in the UK each year. Approximately half of this is currently recycled by the UK wood recycling industry (2,150,000 tonnes in 2011), and a further significant proportion exported (654,000 tonnes in 2011, up from 540,000 tonnes in 2010).

The use of wood waste in biomass / energy in the UK accounted for 594,000 tonnes in 2011, an increase of 8% over 2010.

Furthermore, some 472,000 tonnes of exported wood waste were destined for biomass plants on the continent, compared with 377,000 tonnes in the previous year.

3 Available at www.wrap.org.uk/content/joinery-resource-efficiency-

action-plan

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2. About the Timber Resource Efficiency

Partnership

2.1 What is the Timber Resource Efficiency Partnership?

TREP is a networking organisation on issues relating to wood waste, sustainability, and recycling across the joinery and wider wood processing industries. It is the owner of the Joinery Resource Efficiency Action Plan and:communicates best practice across the joinery and wider wood processing industries;

assists in developing suitable cross-industry waste programmes and initiatives to increase resource efficiency and wood waste management;

provide a mechanism for regular dialogue between the timber and joinery industries and the Wood Recyclers Association;

works with the construction industry, government and government agencies to achieve agreed waste reduction targets.

Figure 1: Principle action areas of the Timber Resource Efficiency Partnership

2.2. How TREP is funded

TREP is a non-profit-making organisation. Since 2010 TREP has been funded by WRAP and the BRE Trust which provided both a secretariat and technical support to the Partnership, delivered by the BWF and BRE.

TREP has now established a self-financing business model to continue its work, with funding to support TREP activity via the British Woodworking Federation (BWF) and the Timber Trade Federation (TTF): other organisations are also invited to contribute.

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2.3 Activities for 2012

In 2012 the main areas of activity delivered through funded support will include:

work to raise the profile of TREP through:

o better promotion;

o development of Partnership leaflet;

o quarterly news bulletin;

o increased web presence;

publishing Wood Waste Market Information with input from industry / WRA;

production of simple guidance documents; and

continued progress on initiatives and delivery against targets.

In addition, TREP will look to broaden its scope to address the wider aspects of resource efficiency and sustainability including recycled content, carbon and water in manufacturing, and embodied carbon.

2.4 Timber Resource Efficiency Partnership members list

A full membership list is contained in Appendix A.

It is proposed that commitment to TREP will be via the introduction of a TREP Resource Efficiency Accord agreement, encouraging companies to sign up to a more positive engagement to resource efficiency issues.

2.5 Timber Joinery Industry Accord

The Timber Joinery Industry Accord is contained in Appendix B.

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3. 2011 Progress against the Resource

Efficiency Action Plan targets

3.1 Overview

The Joinery Resource Efficiency Action Plan identified a series of key challenges facing the sector and practical actions needed to improve resource efficiency and decrease the overall quantity of waste produced. The following seven themes were identified as the principal action areas for improvement, and an action plan was established for each.

Progress against these action plans was first reported in the 2010 Progress Update. This is the second Progress Update detailing the progress made against each of the actions during 2011.

3.2 Improve collaboration across the timber supply chain

TREP is itself a key vehicle to improve collaboration within the timber industry and supply chain. Membership has continued to grow, and there are now some 40 members. In 2012, John White (Chief Executive of the Timber Trade Federation) takes over the role of chair from Richard Lambert (former Chief Executive of BWF). TREP is very grateful to Richard for his commitment and work throughout 2010 and 2011.

Theme

Improve collaboration across the timber supply chain

Improve information on wood waste quantities

Improve timber procurement practices

Understand the markets for wood waste

Establish viable wood waste collection schemes

Improve understanding of the legislative and regulatory framework surrounding the disposal, transport, and use of wood waste

Understand the appropriateness of the use of Wood Waste for Biofuel: The Waste Hierarchy

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3.3 Improve information on wood waste quantities

A key challenge for the timber industry is to improve the reliability and collection mechanisms of wood waste data so that the industry can more accurately determine the total quantity of wood waste being produced each year and the quantities that go for recycling, energy from waste and landfill. With this in mind, in 2011 TREP launched the Wood Waste Data Collection Tool which is intended to assist all wood-using businesses, and SMEs in particular, in measuring and reporting their waste arisings. It is hoped that this tool will make it easier for more businesses to introduce waste management plans.

Action Key Partners Progress

A1 By end 2010, establish the Timber Resource Efficiency Partnership (TREP) as a new organisation to be the custodian of the Joinery Resource Efficiency Action Plan and oversee its implementation Agree a Constitution, Secretariat and Chair for TREP. Members to include trade bodies, organisations, key delivery bodies, Government departments etc TREP to meet at least twice a year to review progress in implementing the recommendations within the Joinery Action Plan Secure necessary funding for resources required to support the running of the TREP Secretariat

British Wood-working Federation (BWF) Wood Recyclers Association (WRA) Timber Trade Federation (TFF)

Complete

Three TREP meetings took place in 2011/12.

TREP membership currently stands at 40 companies and organisations (as of March 2012) (see Appendix A for details).

TREP Constitution is detailed in Appendix B,

TREP plans to convene twice a year in 2012/13 (October 2012 & March 2013).

A2 Run an awareness campaign of the need for, and commercial opportunities available to manufacturers and suppliers for disposing of wood waste

BWF TTF WRA

Ongoing

BWF and TTF have actively publicised the Timber Joinery Industry Accord and the commercial opportunities available to manufacturers and suppliers for disposing of wood waste through trade association journals, monthly newsletters, and website content

Discussions are underway with the Wood Recyclers Association about producing a quarterly bulletin on issues around wood recycling

A TREP leaflet has been drafted to communicate the intentions of TREP to new members

A3 Deliver a training programme for better wood waste management including improved timber procurement Training courses to start in late 2010 onwards

BWF Construction Skills

Complete

A wood waste management e-learning module was launched by the BWF as part of its Online Training Academy in February 2012. The module, available at http://elearning.bwf.org.uk is designed to help wood processors save resources and costs from better timber procurement, from waste management, through to the disposal of wood waste. See section 4.1 for more details.

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Action Key

Partners Progress

B1 Data Collection System to be designed by 2011 to collect annual data on the quantities of waste wood generated by joinery and wood product manufacturers and their timber suppliers. This to include information on costs, volumes and ease of segregation of wood.

BWF TTF BRE

Complete

A Wood Waste Data Collection Tool has been developed by BRE in partnership with the BWF, TTF and Lavers Timber Merchants.

The Tool went live in October 2011, and is accessible at www.wastereporting.co.uk/timber

TREP and its members will publicise the availability of the tool which is intended to assist all wood-using industries to monitor and understand their waste streams better.

B2 Annual surveys to be carried out by BWF and TTF of their members to gather data on the quantities of waste wood generated

BWF TTF

Complete

The BWF and TTF produced a wood waste questionnaire in 2011 that was sent to all members. It was intended to gather a better understanding of waste management practices, wood waste data, and disposal costs incurred by members.

The overall response rate was disappointing, but one interesting finding from the survey was that 80% of respondents did not have a waste management plan in place. This highlights the lack of importance currently given to waste issues which is the challenge for TREP.

Going forward, TREP intends to link up with the Construction Products Association, which also undertakes a quarterly survey of the construction industry (which does have a good response rate) with the intention to use this as a vehicle for collecting data on wood waste, and waste management practices.

B3 A simple guidance note to be produced for joinery manufacturers on waste management record keeping

BWF No progress

During 2012/13, this will be discussed with TREP members to decide whether to take the action forward or abandon it.

3.4 Improve timber procurement practices

At the beginning of 2011, the TREP Industry Supply Accord was finalised. This delivers on the intentions of the industry to standardise the supply and sizes of timber sections sold via timber and builders merchants for the manufacture of door, window and staircase components. A standard specification has been finalised for doors and windows, and several timber merchants have now adopted the range of standard material stock sizes in line with the recommended standard sizes.

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Action Key Partners

Progress

C1 Early in 2011, agree an “Industry Supply Accord”, signed by representatives of timber suppliers, merchants and manufacturers, which establishes the intent to examine the ways in which standardised timber lengths might become commonplace in the UK marketplace By end 2010, launch the Timber Joinery Industry Supply Accord Disseminate the Accord widely to trade association members and non-members By Ecobuild in March 2011 to sign up 30% of the major suppliers, distributors and manufacturers

BWF TTF TREP

Complete

The Industry Supply Accord was finalised at the beginning of 2011.

As of March 2012 35 organisations have signed up to the Industry Supply Accord.

TREP plans to revisit the Accord in 2012 and amend its contents to reflect the broader aims of TREP going forward - encompassing the wider issues of resource efficiency going beyond just waste reduction to look at carbon reduction and the wider sustainability agenda.

C2 By 2013, new agreed standardised sections sizes to be decided, adopted and available in the market place. This requires:

By mid-2011, finalise and agree the standardised supply timber sections and sizes to be sold via timber and builders merchants for the manufacture of door, window and staircase components

By end 2011, disseminate and communicate the proposed recommended standard sizes to small and large builders merchants and initiate discussions on their adoption

By end 2011, merchants to have started to develop and adopt the range of standard material stock sizes inline with the recommended standard sizes

By end 2011, merchants and importers to stock the suggested range of standard sizes suitable for the manufacture of windows, doors and staircases

• By 2015, uptake of new range of stock sizes to be 50% of the market share. This will require an initial base-line study in 2011 and annual surveys thereafter.

TREP BWF TTF Builders Merchants Federation (BMF) Wood Windows Alliance

Complete

Standard material stock sizes suitable for the manufacture of windows, doors and staircases have been agreed – see Appendix C for the specification.

Timbmet has taken on delivery of this project on behalf of the Wood Window Alliance in 2012 (http://www.timbmet.com/)

The following timber companies have so far adopted the standard Wood Stock Profile in their businesses:

o Timbmet o Lathams o Arnold Laver.

Several other companies have committed to do so during 2012.

C3 Introduce tested and accredited timber component system for window, door and staircase manufacture to aid compliance with regulations

BWF & components suppliers to develop tested wood window system to help achieve to Part L compliance by 2011

BWF On Hold

Due to lack of funds and resources, this complex and involved project is currently on hold. TREP plans to discuss with its members during 2012/13 whether to take the action forward, or abandon it.

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3.5 Understand the markets for wood waste

The set up of TREP has resulted in better dialogue and collaboration between the wood recycling industry – represented by the Wood Recyclers Association (WRA) – and the timber industry. As a result, the timber industry is for the first time talking about wood waste and the issues that stem from it and starting to understand in more detail the different markets for wood waste. A key challenge and opportunity going forward for all parties will be to meet the growing demand for wood waste in the UK as a result of the huge expansion of the wood biomass sector – supported by current Government energy policy and subsidies for energy from waste installations.

C4 By end 2011, develop a strategy and programme to effect behavioural change in procurement practices within the joinery sector :

From 2010, deliver a BWF Training Course which will focus on waste management and improving procurement

By end of 2010/11, deliver an awareness campaign and procurement advice targeted at SMEs

Promote better understanding of the cost benefits gained in better procurement practices for solid and laminated components

Develop a portfolio of best practice case study information to persuade suppliers and manufacturers of the benefits of better waste management

Carry out regular surveys to understand the barriers to change

Devise training programmes and delivery systems designed to help small manufacturers

Further develop component systems which allow small manufacturers to meet legislation requirements and improve resource efficiency

Create monitoring systems to capture information demonstrating that industry is changing

TREP BWF

Four face-to-face training workshops were held at the BWF Members Day events in 2010 and 2011 at Loughborough University. These were attended by a variety of companies that are members of the BWF.

A separate training workshop was held at Jeld-Wen Sheffield in 2010.

A more cost-effective approach to provide training via an online academy was developed with the aid of funding obtained by the Wood Industry Training Forum. The BWF Academy Resource Efficiency Training modules are now available online http://www.bwf.org.uk/training/courses/timber-and-sustainability-training/e-learning-wood-waste-resource-efficiency-module

C5 Promote the use and benefits of engineered / finger jointed sections

BWF Complete

The use and benefits of engineered timber have been promoted through the BWF e-learning modules.

Action Key Partners

Progress

D1 Markets for wood waste better understood through closer collaboration between the wood recycling industry, especially the Wood Recyclers Association, and the timber industry This could be through a Market Information Group established under TREP and meeting every six months to produce good market information for dissemination to the industry

Wood Recyclers Association (WRA) BWF TTF Wood Panel Industries Federation (WPIF)

Ongoing

Dialogue is ongoing between TREP members and the Wood Recyclers Association to better understand the end markets for wood waste. This is promoting greater cooperation and understanding across industry.

No formal Market Information Group has yet been established to disseminate market information to industry: however, going forward TREP could take a more active role on this area, in collaboration with the WRA, which has a good understanding of wood waste markets.

Improve timber procurement practices continued

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3.6 Establish viable wood waste collection schemes

One of the key goals of TREP has been to explore through research and practical trials the viability of various wood waste collection schemes – and inform the industry on our findings. The TREP wood waste collection trial undertaken in 2010 with Howarth Timber (detailed in our 2010 progress report) identified a series of challenges in setting up economically viable and successful wood waste collection schemes. In 2011, this work has continued through a new project funded by WRAP and delivered by TRADA and CO2Sense. More details of this can be found in section 5.4.

D2 In 2011, survey work to be undertaken of WRA members to determine the main markets for wood waste. This to be repeated on a regular basis

WRA Complete

The WRA is due to publish its annual Wood Waste Market Report in Q1 2012. This will feature the results of the survey undertaken in 2011. See section 5.3 for further details.

D3 By mid-2011, a guidance paper to be prepared and published to increase awareness of wood waste markets across the timber/joinery industry

WRA BWF

Complete

This guidance material has been incorporated within the BWF Training Academy e-learning module, which includes a series of case studies highlighting the different wood waste markets.

Action Key Partners

Progress

E1 By 2012, set up a sustainable collection system for wood waste derived from the manufacture of joinery products which can act as a model for other parts of the wood processing industry

BWF Ongoing

Work to establish a model for a sustainable collection system for wood waste is ongoing. TRADA and CO2 Sense are currently working together on a WRAP-funded project to which TREP has provided input, based on our previous work on the wood waste M62 corridor project and Howarth Timber wood waste collection trial.

See section 5.4 for further details on this project.

E2 Develop guidance for joinery manufacturers on the need for segregation of wood waste at source (considered the only way to maintain knowledge of waste wood types, i.e. untreated, treated etc)

BWF No progress

During 2012/13, this will be discussed with TREP members to decide whether to take the action forward or abandon it

E3 Continue working with Howarth Timber on the M62 pilot trial to gather information on costs, volumes of waste and ease of segregation, and the management systems required to make a collection hub work, and how this could be replicated by others in the timber industry.

BWF Howarth Timber

Complete

Project completed in 2010/11. See previous TREP progress report for further details.

E4 Continue dialogue with CO2 Sense Yorkshire (funded by Yorkshire Forward) regarding possible partnership/funding of collection system for wood waste on M62 corridor

BWF CO2Sense Envirolink North West

Discussions ongoing

The first report on the CO2Sense/TRADA project has been submitted to WRAP. It is anticipated that the next step will be to explore small collection ‘milk rounds’ with interested parties. The concept of ‘take-back’ schemes, operated by some timber suppliers, is also being considered.

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3.7 Waste Regulatory Framework

The waste regulatory framework around management of wood waste is currently under the microscope, with a series of ongoing research projects being funded by Defra. These will inform possible changes to the management of wood waste in the future. Two main areas of current debate and interest are the ongoing development of the Wood Waste Quality Protocol for the different end markets for wood waste, and the Defra consultation with industry on different policy scenarios for a potential ban on wood waste to landfill, which began at the end of July. In 2012 and beyond a key goal of TREP is to become the voice of the timber industry to Government to inform policy direction, thus ensuring that decisions taken at a regulatory and government level are in the best interests of the UK timber industry and promote and drive expansion and innovation in the wood recycling sector.

Action Key Partners

Progress

F1 Trade Associations to better understand the legal implications of wood waste on behalf of their members and to communicate this to members on a regular basis

BWF TTF Wood Panel Industries Federation (WPIF) Wood Recyclers Association (WRA)

Ongoing

TREP is continuing to engage with Defra regarding the legal framework for the management of wood waste – including the ongoing development of the Wood Waste Quality Protocol.

In April 2012, staff from the Defra Wood Waste Project visited a number of wood processors around the South Yorkshire region.

F2 Industry to urge government to conclude the Wood Waste Quality Protocol

TREP Ongoing

TREP and individual Trade Associations have continued to engage with Defra on the development and conclusion of the Wood Waste Quality Protocol.

F3 A guidance paper on the implications of the Wood Waste Quality Protocol (when concluded) to be prepared for joinery manufacturers (waste segregation) and wood recyclers (wood waste to biomass)

TREP On Hold

This will be taken forward into 2012/13.

F4 Findings of Defra’s study “An Assessment of the Environmental Impact of Management Options for Waste Wood (WR1209)” due for completion March 2011 to be disseminated when concluded. This is expected to assist the timber industry on the separation, transportation, reprocessing and recycling/reuse disposal of wood waste

TREP On Hold

The WR1209 project, being delivered by AEA Technology, has been delayed by over a year and the results of this study are still unknown. See section 5.1.

Further action will be taken once the study is complete.

F5 By end 2011, initiate a further study into the requirements for bio-secure wood shavings when used in poultry litter and other animal bedding materials; to include consideration of the cost/benefits of providing guidance on the biosecure specification and the implementation of an audit trail system.

BWF Ongoing

Actions here will be informed by the Wood Waste Quality Protocol and the results of the WR1209 project discussed in the previous action.

F6 Produce short guidance paper describing findings of above study targeting joinery manufacturers and wood waste collectors in rural areas

BWF No progress

During 2012/13, this will be discussed with TREP members to decide whether to take the action forward or abandon it.

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3.8 Wood Waste for Biofuel

It is estimated that if all the biomass installations currently planned in the UK were to come online, they would require ca. 20Mt of biomass feedstocks4 a year. This is against the current 1.1Mt demand from existing biomass facilities and those under construction. It is clear, therefore, that the biomass market is going to have a major impact on the UK wood waste market and on other UK industries that rely on the same feedstocks – such as the wood panel industry. This would inevitably drive up the price paid for wood waste, to the benefit of waste producers and encouraging the diversion of more wood waste from landfill as it becomes a more valuable commodity. However, TREP is committed to supporting the waste hierarchy of Reduce / Reuse / Recycle / Recover / Dispose: this means that before sending waste to be ‘recovered’ as biofuel, effort should first be made to reduce the volumes of waste created or reuse or recycle the waste in a different way. Therefore the challenge for Government and industry is to find the right balance between the best economic, environmental and social solutions.

4 http://www.tolvik.com/markets-and-data/reports/2011_UK_Waste_Wood.pdf

pp4

Action Key Partners

Progress

G1 Industry to urge government to resolve the potential inconsistency between producing renewable energy and waste hierarchy principles

TREP Ongoing

During 2012/13, TREP will discuss with its members whether the group should lobby harder on this issue. It will consider writing a TREP positioning statement that clearly sets out a group view on government’s renewable energy strategy and potential biomass projects.

G2 Trade Associations to better understand the legalities surrounding the burning of wood waste for biofuel and to communicate this to members on a regular basis

BWF

TTF

WRA

Ongoing

This is an important issue and individual Trade Associations (perhaps jointly) should take this action forward in 2012/13.

A first step could be to write an article for trade journals clearly setting out the legalities surrounding the burning of wood waste for biofuel.

G3 Industry to disseminate and widely publicise the Wood Waste Quality Protocol when it is concluded

TREP No progress

Awaiting completion of the Wood Waste Quality Protocol.

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4. Case studies

4.1 BWF Online Training Academy - Wood Waste and Resource

Efficiency e-learning module

The BWF launched its Online Training Academy5 in February 2012 with the first e-learning module ‘Wood Waste and Resource Efficiency’. The first module is designed to equip joinery firms to use their timber resources more efficiency and reduce their wood waste. It is aimed primarily as managers within joinery manufacturers of all sizes, but will be beneficial to any member of staff involved in procurement and waste management. The module is also useful for those involved with the supply of timber, and covers:

ways to reduce waste;

options for improving re-use and recycling;

details of potential markets for wood waste; and

procedural information on the correct disposal of wood waste.

The module also provides guidance on how companies can set up their own waste management plan and systems.

Figure 2: Wood Waste & Resource Efficiency e-learning module

5 http://elearning.bwf.org.uk

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Figure 3: Wood Waste & Resource Efficiency e-learning module – four sections covering prevention, waste management, procurement and disposal

The learning is very interactive and all information is supported by additional tutorials and learning resources, including literature, case studies of real joinery firms, and other online resources.

There is an assessment at the end of each section, and on successful completion of all sections, learners are issued with a certificate.

4.2 TREP Timber Waste Reporting Tool

The TREP Wood Waste Reporting Tool6 is designed to assist timber-using industries to better understand and manage their waste arisings. It is an online measurement and reporting tool that allows users to monitor their waste arisings on all projects individually, showing how much waste is being created at both a project and company level. As well as helping fulfil reporting requirements, it can also help organisations to quantify wood waste costs – providing a strong business case for reducing waste and diverting waste from landfill.

The tool is primarily aimed at manufacturers of timber-based products. However, it can also be used by any company creating or managing wood waste, including distributors/

6 www.wastereporting.co.uk/timber

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timber suppliers, wood recyclers, sawmills, construction site contractors, and waste contractors.

One of the original intentions behind the Wood Waste Reporting Tool was to improve data collection about wood waste across the entire timber sector, as the data currently captured is inconsistent and doesn’t provide the full picture of all the waste management routes for wood waste produced in the UK. The Tool was therefore designed to provide a simple means of capturing wood waste, that all businesses could use.

However, since its launch at the beginning of 2011, uptake has been disappointing slow. One factor in this is that, according to the 2011 BWF/TTF wood waste management survey, 80% of firms surveyed do not record or manage their waste. TREP believes this shows that management of waste is simply not high enough up the business agenda.

Therefore, while our end goal remains improved data about wood waste, it is clear that usage of the Tool must become more commonplace if we are to generate this more accurate picture of wood waste sector-wide.

Figure 4: Company homepage – set up to collect data project based or for single waste transfer

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4.3 Procurement Practices Project

Engineered components for Vertical Sliding Sash Windows

As mentioned in the chairman’s foreword, one of TREP’s most significant projects this year has been the development of standardised sections sizes for wood windows and doors. The project has been taken forward by a range of timber merchants, including Timbmet, and as a result wood waste around these sections has been cut to around 1%, compared to 25% using solid timber.

The TREP project proved timely for a number of joinery companies, such as Boyland Joinery Limited. Established in 1961, Boyland is - a large company based on the south coast of England. It is a leading member of the BWF and its windows adhere to the high standards required by the Wood Window Alliance.

Boyland has for some time used engineered laminated timber sections for window production, but it was having some difficulty in sourcing a supply of the correct sized sections from this material for its vertical sliding sash windows. The issue was significant enough that Boyland was considering setting up an arrangement with a competitor through which the competitor would increase its stock order of the same material, and deliver the surplus to Boyland.

However, the inclusion of V/S feedstock within the TREP-recommended merchant stock profile rendered this complex arrangement unnecessary. Boyland’s usual supplier Timbmet now carries a range of standard-sized V/S components, which Boyland – and others – can order as easily as any other laminated timber.

4.4 Views from the membership: achievements in 2011

TREP member organisations were asked to summarise their key achievements in terms of sustainability and increasing resource efficiency in the last year. Here are some of the responses received.

“The Builders Merchant Federation uses TREP as a means of informing our members of best practice.”

“The BWF has put information about TREP on our website to help our members. Lots of our members are SMEs/family companies with limited time and IT capabilities so practical demonstrations [such as those included in the e-learning module discussed in section 4.1 above] to help change practices are most helpful.”

“As an industry, the wood panel industry continues to recycle wood and keep its own wood waste to a minimum”

“As a sawmill company supplying raw material for the UK supply chain, we have taken various actions. We have increased production efficiencies to minimise waste. We have introduced X-Ray scanning technology to better direct the timber to the correct product. We use optic cameras for grading of timber (reads blanks and compares with preset metrics to see if quality acceptable for various grades) which has improved the accuracy of grading. Finally, we have increased utilisation of waste sawdust in pellet factories at sawmills (wood chip is already sent to paper mills).”

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“The Wood Protection Association started to produce guidance on wood waste about 10 years ago and we keep this updated. Issues from TREP will influence this guidance.”

“We have set up a site-wide wood waste collection system; we collect all our non-treated wood waste from our dock. Milling waste from the window factory and yard that used to go to landfill is now used as bio-fuel to heat the window and mill production units.”

“We have taken action on our own waste and promoted laminated sections to our customers to reduce their waste.”

4.5 Views from the membership – plans for the year ahead

We also asked members what actions and projects they had planned for the year ahead. Responses included the following.

“We plan to invest in engineered wood product solutions, i.e. remove defects from timber, and use the remainder for joinery solutions. We are also working on developing own material relating to standardisation of sizes, in collaboration with industry partners.”

“More has to be done in 2012 and beyond to get the key message across that treated waste should be segregated at source. We’re not sure yet how much this message has got through to waste producers.”

“We’re continually revising production methods – for instance, we are fully introducing the use of laminated finger jointed redwood as opposed to solid redwood, which should take our rejected level of timber down from 15% to 3%.”

“The wood panel industry will continue to maximize the reuse of wood waste in the manufacture of panel products, whilst process residues are used as fuel if they can't be recycled into the product.”

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5. Other activity on wood waste across the

timber sector

In addition to TREP’s own work, there have been a number of other projects undertaken in the last year that address issues of wood waste management. As these will be of interest and direct importance to many readers, they are summarised here.

5.1 Defra’s wood waste management study: An Assessment of the

Environmental Impact of Management Options for Waste Wood

(WR1209)

In 2010, Defra appointed AEA Technology to undertake an assessment of the environmental impacts of possible management options for waste wood across the entire lifecycle – from processing to end products.

The study was designed to build on previous research that has indicated that the bio-energy potential of waste wood is substantially underutilised in current waste wood management routes. AEA Technology was asked to identify more sustainable options within current systems and identify alternative wood waste management routes that may be more environmentally sustainable, yet are currently under-used due to technical or commercial barriers. It was also asked to examine the practicality of different options, and identify what would be needed to make them work.

The project was to be completed by March 2011, and the findings were expected to be published shortly after. However, publication has been delayed and the consultants are still finalising scenarios around waste wood management options. This work will be important for TREP’s future activity, and we will be keeping a close eye on signs of progress,

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5.2 Consultation on wood waste landfill restrictions

The possibility of a ban on sending wood waste to landfill has been extensively debated within the timber industry. In March 2012, Defra confirmed in a TREP meeting that it was exploring different possible policy options and would consult the industry on potential restrictions during 2012.

A call for evidence was formally launched on July 31 around the five policy options under consideration, which are:

Do nothing (but would include energy from waste options)

Implement a restriction on wood waste to landfill with a requirement to sort wood waste

Implement a requirement to sort wood waste (but no restriction to landfill)

Implement a restriction on wood waste to landfill but with no requirement to sort wood waste

Introduce a voluntary agreement.

TREP, along with other industry bodies and a number of joinery or timber businesses, has been invited to respond. The consultation closes on 28 September and full details are available online at www.defra.gov.uk/consult/2012/07/31/wood-waste/

Views from the membership: wood waste to landfill restrictions

TREP members have been invited to express their views on any potential restrictions. Some of the views are received are included below. These should not be seen as representative of TREP’s views, or of what may be in TREP’s formal response to the consultation.

“We would support a ban on ethical grounds. However, our members are more likely to burn wood waste or give to community groups such as Scouts for bonfires etc than send wood waste into landfill. We would be opposed to an increase in tax for disposing of wood.”

“Traditionally we would support a ban although it might be problematic for some. TREP should help put other options in place for joinery waste so that members will get value from their by-products.”

“We support it, particularly because of the increasing demand on wood resource as a consequence of renewable energy initiatives, and hope it would reduce the impact on specific wood streams.”

“We would support a ban as waste streams with wood treated with preservative should be reused/recycled as much as possible. Landfilling wood is a waste of an opportunity.”

“I would support a ban as this would give impetus to other means of disposal.”

“We would support such a ban as it is a no brainer: we are paying for a potentially saleable material to be sent to land fill, we need to stop seeing wood waste as wood waste and see it as an added value product.”

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5.3 Wood Recyclers Association – Wood Waste Market Report

Every year, the Wood Recyclers Association undertakes a survey of its members and publishes its Wood Waste Market Report which estimates the quantity of wood waste generated in the UK and the waste management route (end destination). In 2010, the WRA estimated waste wood arisings of 4.5Mt of which 2,250,000 tonnes – approximately 50% - were recycled. In addition, UK exports of wood waste rose from 83,000 tonnes in 2009 to 540,000 tonnes in 2010. Of this figure, 377,000 tonnes were destined for biomass plants on the continent, compared with only 71,000 tonnes in the previous year.

5.4 The Business Case for Wood Waste Collection Hubs - TRADA /CO2

Sense

In 2011, TRADA and CO2 Sense undertook a study to examine the business case for Wood Waste Collection Hubs. The project, funded by WRAP, reviewed a range of data to evaluate what benefit such hubs could bring. It looked at current wood waste arisings and end destinations; import and export markets; and economics and key constraints. TREP provided useful input to this based on its previous work on the wood waste M62 corridor project and Howarth Timber wood waste collection trial.

1. The study then looked at four particular scenarios: Wood waste inputs to composting processes

2. Wood waste collections from SME producers

3. Household Waste Recycling Centres

4. Take Back Schemes.

To help evaluate the business case for collection hubs, the project team developed a UK wood waste map (see figure 5) that indicates the amount of wood waste generated in different counties: the darker shading, the more wood waste generated.

The map also identifies 3,000 wood businesses (red dots), wood recyclers which account for over 80% of UK waste wood handled (yellow triangles), and biomass and WID (Waste Incineration Directive) compliant facilities (blue triangles).

Based on both the mapping exercise and the wider study, a number of conclusions are emerging – the most important of which is that there is real scope for viable collection schemes at the small scale, such as increased used of drop-off sites such as Council sites and transfer stations; and take back schemes. However, generating widespread demand for these services probably needs a ‘nudge’ for the producers – such as a landfill ban.

Other key points from the study include:

There is no evidence that lack of services or end markets for waste wood collection is a real constraint (although there may be localised gaps).

Wood waste producers may have an unrealistic expectation of value in their waste material – and expect free disposal without considering the collection costs.

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Evidence on the destination of wood waste from small wood waste producers sector (small joinery and manufacturing etc) is incomplete. However, filling the gaps would be more complex and costly than can probably be justified.

There’s good reason to think that ‘informal’ disposal is significant and widespread. This seems to happen mostly in businesses where the wood waste quantity is too small to have a collection value (it costs more to collect separately than it is worth in energy or recycling terms).

Some waste producers may be assuming that their waste will be sent to landfill, whereas their collector will make efforts to recover wood waste to other markets wherever possible.

Disposal to landfill of separated wood waste is very low – but small amounts of wood mixed with other wastes together add up to around 1Mt (though there are uncertainties around this figure).

Those using landfill disposal for wood now are probably not easily influenced by sector voluntary agreements, cost benefit calculations, or supply chain concerns.

Figure 5: UK wood waste map

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5.5 Tolvik UK Waste Wood Market Report

In 2011, Tolvik Consulting published a new Market Briefing Report on The UK Waste Wood Market7. The report describes the reduction in waste wood arisings following the recession and identifies the role of 'informal' outlets for waste wood, which are not necessarily captured by official statistics.

Tolvik estimates waste wood arisings in 2010 to be 4.3Mt – some 0.3Mt less than WRAP has estimated in previous studies. It attributes this lower figure to a combination of the effects of the recession, which has particularly affected the construction and demolition markets, and – on a more positive note – a result of improved resource efficiency.

The report estimates that the demand for waste wood in 2010 was 3.2Mt: consequently, the recovery rate for waste wood in the UK is 74%. Based on these figures, a maximum of 1.1Mt of waste wood is assumed to have been sent to landfill or other ‘informal’ outlets, which include giving wood waste away and burning.

Tolvik’s analysis identifies the potential for an 85% recovery rate by 2015: given current rates of 74%, this suggests that there may only be limited additional tonnages of waste wood available in the UK market. Tolvik also highlights that, going forward, end users such as wood panel and animal bedding manufacturers will face strong ongoing competition from biomass facilities across northern Europe and in the UK that have successfully secured feedstock and finance.

7 http://www.tolvik.com/markets-and-data/reports/2011_UK_Waste_Wood.pdf

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Appendix A: Timber Resource Efficiency Partnership members list

Organisation

John Fletcher – Project Manager

John White – Chair

Iain McIlwee – BWF

Jane Thornback – CPA

Stuart Blofeld – BRE (secretariat)

Anand Punja – TTF

Matt Mahoney – BWF

Chris Coggins – WPA

Sarah Broadley – Saint Gobain / Jewson

Laura Denison (Defra)

Anna Mayne (Defra)

Iby Sanusi (Defra)

Malcolm Waddell – WRAP

Alistair Kerr – WPIF

Carole Green – BMF

Elizabeth Turner – TRADA

Peter Butt – WRA

Andrew Bowler - Arnold Laver

Darren Kennedy - Arnold Laver

Peter Latham – Lathams

G Skillen – Ridgeons

Stephen Cope – MLM

Jim Peryer - Snows Timber

Philip Bell – Crenden

Charles Hopping - Hoppings

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Justin Hayward – Timbmet

Miles McKay – WRA

Peter Johnson – Vicaima

Stephen Wright – Barnsdale

John Gorf – Parker & Highland Joinery Ltd.

Natasha Moore – Jeld-Wen

Dexter Pereira -

Erkki Valikangas – Stora Enso

Brian Lancaster - John Brash

Mark Terrell – SITA

Mike Greenhalf – CO2sense

Martin Smith (JJ Smith)

Simon – S V Joinery

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Appendix B: Timber Resource Efficiency Partnership Constitution

Purpose

The intent of the Timber Resource Efficiency Partnership (TREP) is to act as custodian of the Joinery Resource Efficiency Action Plan to improve the sustainability of the joinery and wider timber industry through the development and delivery of practical actions, better awareness and understanding amongst all parts of the supply chain, and thus contribute towards the goal of reducing the total amount of waste produced by the timber sector, as well as waste sent to landfill.

Membership

Membership of TREP is open to any individual, company or trade association involved in the supply, manufacture, distribution, installation, recycling, reprocessing and disposal of timber or timber products as well as relevant government departments, local authorities and public bodies.

Chair

TREP will appoint a Chair and Deputy Chair. The post of Chair will be for one year duration and will be elected from within the timber industry.

Deputy Chair

The post of the Deputy Chair will be for one year duration elected from within the timber industry.

Secretariat

The Secretariat will be initially held by BRE during TREP’s first year of operation. In subsequent years, the TREP membership will decide upon who will act as Secretariat. It will be responsible for maintaining the list of TREP members and their contact details, of liaising with the Chair to decide the agenda of meetings, for circulating relevant papers and minutes of meetings.

Communications

TREP will meet at least 2 times a year to monitor progress made in the implementation of the Joinery Resource Efficiency Action Plan and to discuss relevant sustainability issues relating to the joinery and timber industry.

ii

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Appendix C: Doors and Windows component specification

Sections to comply to:

EN 942:2007: Timber in Joinery – General requirements

EN 13307-1:2006: Timber blanks and semi-finished profiles for non-structural uses – Part 1: Requirements

CEN/TS 13307-2:2009: Timber blanks and semi-finished profiles for non-structural uses – Part 2: Production control and testing

EN 14220: Timber and wood-based materials in external windows, external door leaves and external door frames – Requirements and specifications

NOTES: Dimensions in mm

Window stock to be 12% target moisture content (+ 2% /- 0% )

Lamel sections - 21 / 24mm

D = Door component

W = Window component

V/S = Vertical Slider component

Df – Door frame component