UK – opportunities for woodchip recycling

Local authority pilot project candidates sought



Recycled woodchip is becoming an increasingly popular choice for use as a plant bed mulch and paths and play area surfacing, but a new local authority study has revealed it could have far wider landscaping applications.



Research commissioned by WRAP (the Waste & Resources Action Programme) to explore all potential landscaping uses of the product in a local authority environment has now identified a variety of completely new and innovative uses, many of which provide additional benefits, such as marking picnic spots under trees, reducing erosion on steep banks and mopping up muddy areas around car parks or by the water‘‘s edge.



Conducted by researchers from the University College Northampton (UCN) SITA Centre for Sustainable Wastes Management at Redditch Borough Council in the West Midlands, the study showed these new uses equated to 16% (1,998m3) of the authority‘‘s total potential need for landscaping material (12,187m").



Traditional uses of recycled woodchip such as plant bed mulching, pathway surfacing and play area covering make up 61% (7,455m") of the potential requirement, but the research also identified 23% (2,734m") of ‘‘other‘‘ previously unidentified or less obvious opportunities for mulching and pathway surfacing.



Using recycled woodchip for these new and ‘‘other‘‘ applications also brings a variety of benefits. Areas that may previously have been unsuitable for public access become usable, maintenance is greatly reduced due to the product‘‘s effectiveness as a weed suppressant and its long lasting properties mean that topping up is only infrequently required. Using other traditional loose surfacing materials for these types of applications would almost certainly be too cost prohibitive whereas recycled woodchip can even offer savings in terms of whole life costs. Its versatility and long lasting properties also makes it ideal for use where shredded garden waste would not be suitable.



Julia Turner, Material Development Manager for wood at WRAP, said: "This study not only demonstrates to what extent local authorities can use recycled woodchip in traditional uses, but also how they can use the product in previously unconsidered areas. As well as helping local authorities meet their sustainability and environmental obligations, recycled woodchip – made from post consumer wood waste such as old pallets – is an extremely durable, cost effective surfacing product, which reduces maintenance requirements such as weeding and watering"