Recycling Wood

PDD

Hi Folks,

I've jsut finished doing a bit of DIY and Im left with loads of off-cuts, sawdust and old timber. I thought I would be able to recycle this but unfortuantely my local green center will not accept it because it has paint on it and most of the wood is chipboard laminate. Does anyone have any suggestions for effectively recycling this stuff or disposing of it in a more green manner than dumping it (keeping it just isnt an option as I only have a small apartment).

Dave

electrofilth

burn it

Cookie_Monster

give it to your local scout group. They can burn it next time they go away.

One of the guys in our group makes furniture, always brings along bags of off cuts with him.

Once not cooking on it, won't even matter if paint on it / chip boards etc

CJhaughey

Actually burning chipboard is a very bad idea, it is full of nasty chemicals, formaldehyde being the principal offender.
and burning ANY painted wood is not a good thing as the fumes can be toxic.
There must be another place that takes that kind of wood apart from the local green centre?
Quoting from a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for bonded wood products (chipboard,MDF):

Target Organs
Respiratory tract, eye and skin

Potential Health Effects: Eyes
Formaldehyde and wood dust may cause temporary irritation to the eyes. Symptoms include itching, burning,
redness and tearing.

Potential Health Effects: Skin
Formaldehyde and various species of wood dust may cause allergic contact dermatitis in sensitized individuals. If
an allergy preexists or develops, it may be necessary to remove the sensitized worker from further exposure to
formaldehyde bonded wood products or wood dust.

Potential Health Effects: Inhalation
Formaldehyde may cause temporary irritation to the nose and throat. Wood dust may cause nasal dryness,
irritation, coughing, headache and sinusitis. Exposure may result in allergic responses in sensitive individuals.

Medical Conditions Aggravated by Exposure
Formaldehyde or wood dust may aggravate preexisting skin, eye and respiratory conditions or allergies.

Hazardous Combustion Products
Thermal-oxidative degradation, or burning, of wood can produce irritating and potentially toxic fumes and gases
including carbon monoxide, aldehydes and organic acids.

Cookie_Monster

CJhaughey wrote: »

Actually burning chipboard is a very bad idea, it is full of nasty chemicals, formaldehyde being the principal offender.
and burning ANY painted wood is not a good thing as the fumes can be toxic.
There must be another place that takes that kind of wood apart from the local green centre?
Quoting from a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for bonded wood products (chipboard,MDF):

Target Organs
Respiratory tract, eye and skin

Potential Health Effects: Eyes
Formaldehyde and wood dust may cause temporary irritation to the eyes. Symptoms include itching, burning,
redness and tearing.

Potential Health Effects: Skin
Formaldehyde and various species of wood dust may cause allergic contact dermatitis in sensitized individuals. If
an allergy preexists or develops, it may be necessary to remove the sensitized worker from further exposure to
formaldehyde bonded wood products or wood dust.

Potential Health Effects: Inhalation
Formaldehyde may cause temporary irritation to the nose and throat. Wood dust may cause nasal dryness,
irritation, coughing, headache and sinusitis. Exposure may result in allergic responses in sensitive individuals.

Medical Conditions Aggravated by Exposure
Formaldehyde or wood dust may aggravate preexisting skin, eye and respiratory conditions or allergies.

Hazardous Combustion Products
Thermal-oxidative degradation, or burning, of wood can produce irritating and potentially toxic fumes and gases
including carbon monoxide, aldehydes and organic acids.

Sure with all the drinking and smoking you're doing around the fire you wouldn't even notice:D

On a more serious note, I know what you mean. We generally use the chip / painted stuff to build a fire up (whilst standing back from it) as it burns very strongly and once its going start using "real" wood