Wood Waste Disposal

Green waste management in Atlanta

Wood is a solid waste that includes discarded trees, stumps, branches, sawdust, scrap lumber, pallets, and other wood products. Green waste generally comes from activities related to demolition, construction, renovation, packaging used to transport goods, and street and park maintenance. Plant diseases and insects can also cause a spike in the generation of green waste.

Disposing of Green Waste

Wood can be disposed of via landfills, but there are far better options that benefit the environment and the community.

• Reuse: Wood can be used for multiple purposes if it has not been treated with harmful chemicals or covered in lead paint. Consider using the wood for fence repairs or to construct raised garden beds. Before you throw something out, consider if it could be donated and put to good use at a homeless shelter, in a high school woodshop, or a church.
• Recycle: Wood that can’t be reused can be recycled and made into mulch, sawdust, fuel pellets, wood chipping, compost, etc. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of uses for recycled wood.
• Generate Energy: Did you know that by sending wood to a biomass-to-energy producer, you can generate cleaner energy in the form of electricity or steam?
• Choose A Wood Processing Facility Over A Landfill: Disposing of wood at a wood-processing facility costs much less than disposing of the same amount of wood at a landfill. Some green waste processors won’t charge you if you are disposing of clean wood. Disposal of wood into a landfill should be your very last option.