Wood vs. Alternatives
» Recycling
Recycling
Paper, egg cartons, pallets or lumber: Just a few of the many forest products that touch our lives. Not long ago, when the useful life of these materials had passed, most of them ended up in a landfill. Now, it's much more common that waste paper and wood scraps are recycled or reused in other products.
"In 2003 the U.S. paper recovery rate achieved an all-time high of 50.3%. Paper recovery has increased steadily from 33.5% in 1990, to its present level of 50.3%. Total U.S. paper recovery reached 49.3 million tons in 2003, an increase of 3.4% from 2002, and 69% since 1990. This impressive accomplishment was made possible by the efforts of AF&PA member companies and millions of Americans who recycle at home, school, and at work. Paper recovery now averages 339 pounds for each man, woman, and child in the United States, up from 233 pounds per person in 1990." (Source: American Forest and Paper Association)
We're also doing better in solid wood recycling. Waste wood is commonly pulverized and used as mulch or in compost. Some can also become "furnish" for paperboard or composite forest products such as particleboard.
Every year, millions of tons of urban, agricultural, forest and sawmill wood wastes are utilized as fuel in biomass power plants. The renewable electricity from these specialized facilities provides power to as many as 675,000 California homes.
Many other products and alternative building materials are more difficult -- even impossible -- to reuse or recycle. And using wood products also conserves and extends the supply of depletable natural resources, such as oil and natural gas, bauxite and iron ore.
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