Animal bedding and landscaping represent strong potential growth areas for recycled wood products, new research from the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) has identified.
WRAP’s report, “Emerging higher value markets for recycled wood products” shows cattle bedding to be the biggest opportunity for recycled wood products, with an estimated
volume of 3-4 million tonnes of bedding (all types of material) used in 2004.
The smaller equine and poultry bedding sectors are worth £65m and £35m respectively.
Equine products represent the highest value market, with an average price per tonne of £132-144. Recycled wood products currently make up 35% of wood-based materials supplied to the sector but there is scope for growth based on the recyled product’s dust-free properties and price competitiveness.
The WRAP study says recycled wood products are established in the landscaping sector but development opportunities exist in the pathways and mulches market, with local authorities very receptive towards the material. Loose fill material volumes used for mulch currently stand at 275,000-300,000 tonnes a year and the market is worth £50-60m.
Tom Fourcade, WRAP materials sector manager for wood, said recycled wood product output had grown from 30,000 tonnes in 2001 to 190,000 tonnes in 2004, with WRAP now looking to accelerate the growth.
