The Environment Agency Gives Amber Waste Wood the Green Light
October 15, 2024
The Environment Agency Gives Amber Waste Wood the Green Light
As a major machinery supplier to the waste wood and recycling sector, with brands like Sennebogen and Hyundai, Molson are delighted to report a significant change to the classification of waste wood in England.
Following thousands of tests, the Environment Agency has now classified the majority of amber waste wood as non-hazardous. This means that it can be transported and recycled much more easily and cost-effectively, saving the industry millions of pounds every year.
What is amber waste wood?
Amber waste wood includes roof timbers, tiling and cladding battens, timber frames and joists from buildings built between 1950 and 2006, as well as external timber cladding, external doors and external windows from buildings built between 1950 and 1995.
Previously, this waste wood would have been subject to the rules of Regulatory Position Statements, such as RPS249 or RPS291, and required expensive testing before it could be re-used. Such testing is now no longer required. However, wood from heavy industrial buildings will still need to be tested in this way before it can be moved and recycled.
The new rules only apply in England, and only where the wood is intended to be re-used for panel board or Chapter IV biomass. Nonetheless, the relaxing of the regulations is expected to save construction and recycling companies millions in waste disposal costs and the associated paperwork.
What was the industry’s reaction?
“We are absolutely delighted that all our hard work has paid off,” said Wood Recyclers’ Association Technical Lead, Vicki Hughes. “The Environment Agency has recognised that the hazardous waste wood content in these waste streams is tiny and diminishing. This outcome will be hugely beneficial for our sector.”
Duncan Rudall, CEO of the National Federation of Demolition Contractors also welcomed the news. “This will significantly reduce the regulatory burden on those working in the demolition sector,” he said. “It will potentially save our sector millions of pounds a year in testing and hazardous waste disposal costs.”
Molson Recycling Sales Director, Thomas McKeever, was equally pleased. “Here at Molson, we welcome any changes that ease the regulatory burden on our customers,” he said. “The resulting savings, in terms of both time and money, will bring a welcome boost the recycling sector.”
Molson makes wood recycling easier
Molson have been supporting the wood recycling sector for many years, with a wide range of effective, efficient waste handling machines from companies like Sennebogen.
From the compact and flexible Sennebogen 817E Mobile, with electric power options, to the high capacity Sennebogen 830E Mobile and Sennebogen 830R crawler, both also available in environmentally friendly electric versions, Molson has the machine you need to handle your wood waste.
Whether you’re looking for the right machine for demolition and sorting on site, or equipping your specialist waste wood processing plant, the expert team at Molson can help you find the right machine at the right price. And it doesn’t end there. Molson will continue to support your business with dependable service and repairs throughout the life of your machine, with a fleet of mobile, factory trained technicians always on call to keep your machines moving.
“The recycling sector has a fundamental role to play in keeping the construction sector sustainable and supporting the circular economy,” says Thomas. “Molson offers the machinery our customers need for materials handling, helping them to sort and transport the maximum volume of waste wood to recycling facilities and away from landfill.”
To find out more about the wide range of Sennebogen waste handlers from Molson, all available with flexible finance and dependable service packages, get in touch with your local Molson depot today, or complete our contact form online and we’ll be in touch.
