Are you disposing of wood correctly?

The classification of waste wood has been clarified in recent years and it may affect what you need to do when disposing of wood during a landscaping project.

Simply put, wood can be categorised as either non-hazardous or hazardous at the end of its useful life, with significant implications for disposal.

There had been some confusion around which types of wood qualified as hazardous, leading the Environment Agency to take a precautionary approach towards the regulation of potentially hazardous types.

But, through extensive testing, the Wood Recyclers’ Association (WRA) has been able to demonstrate that hazardous content in common waste streams is actually very small and falling. With regard to landscaping, the WRA’s guidance on the matter describes all external household waste wood as non-hazardous grade B or C, including decking, fence posts/panels (unless coated with creosote), and garden products.

This finding has been recognised by the Environment Agency, which has withdrawn its precautionary approach and made it easier for waste wood processors to handle common waste streams.

Landscapers in England may have already felt the benefit of this change, while those in other UK nations will have to wait for their respective regulators to react to the WRA’s work. BALI has previously reported on classifying and disposing of waste materials as well as environmental permits for handling waste.

Read the full guidance: woodrecyclers.org