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Brighton & Hove Wood Recycling Project Project description Aim To rescue and reuse as much timber waste as possible. Background The Brighton and Hove Wood Recycling Project was set up in 1998 by the founder Richard Mehmed. Mehmed’s motivation for initiating the project stemmed from his disappointment at seeing good wood being wasted. From a beginning which included some small grants from the local council and the Shell Better Britain Campaign, the Project is now one of the only community enterprises that is financially self-supporting, creating 6 permanent jobs, has 20 plus volunteers and recycles more than 1000 tonnes of wood per annum. The Project has become so successful it is being adopted as a model for similar schemes in several places around the UK. Mehmed has recently won Social, Economic and Environmental Development (SEED) money to help set up more projects and is working with potential new groups in Liverpool, Manchester, Oxford, Wales and Scotland. In addition to this work, he continues to work with the Project, handling their marketing, publicity and five- year business plan development. Waste Minimisation Activity All types of wood waste are collected from the construction sector for recycling and low skilled jobs are created resulting in the saving of resources that would otherwise end up at landfill. The Brigton & Hove Wood Recycling project team recycle any construction site waste timber for reuse for DIY, if of appropriate quality, or otherwise as a secondary heating fuel (ie. open fires and wood burning stoves in domestic properties). Materials Targeted Timber Project Drivers for Waste Minimisation Customers generally work with the project team to reduce their disposal costs, but also because there is a growing realization that we can not continue to simply consume and waste without considering the consequences.

Project profile Brighton & Hove Wood Recycling Project Service: Provide a site collection service for waste timber and sell recycled timber for DIY/other uses Location: Brighton, SE England Project Duration (in relation to the described activities): Ongoing Client: Collection: any organization that has wood waste - builders, schools, universities, libraries, large stores, offices, etc. Supply: general public for DIY or fuel. Key Statistics: 1000 tonnes of wood recycled per annum Annual turnover £110,000 (2000-2001)

Project Approach to Waste Minimisation and Sustainable Use of Resources

The Project team have developed a simple classification system consisting of the following grades:

Grade 1 - This is timber good enough to sell for DIY, and is defined as wood that is around two metres or more in length, relatively sound, free from bad splits and relatively free from nails and other contaminants. Sheet materials including ply, chipboard, hardboard and MDF more than 1metre square are also classed as grade 1 along with doors in good condition, pieces of hardwood and anything considered “interesting”.

Grade 2 - This is also sound wood, but too short or small to be easily sold for DIY. It can, however, be used to make wood products – ranging from compost bins, bookshelves, art and craft items to high-quality furniture.

Grade 3 - This grade represents around 80% of the wood waste stream. It consists of everything from rotten fence posts and broken pallets to offcuts and everything else that doesn’t fit into Grades 1 or 2. Lots is bagged for firewood and kindling which is sold during the winter, and more is given to local farmers who have wood-fired boilers heating greenhouses. Only around 15% of what is collected has to be discarded because it is too contaminated with creosote or other preservatives.

Construction Phase Activities:

Enabling waste minimisation and the use of non-primary materials:
Waste that would have ended up in landfill is diverted and attention drawn to the amount of waste being generated on site.

Using local approaches:
Knowledge of local construction activity is key to project success and engaging the contractors and builders is crucial.

Company practice and management in supporting waste minimisation and improved approaches to resources use:
The project is helping to change attitudes to waste on building sites with contractors/ builders realising that much of the wood “waste” they separate for collection is reusable.

Better handling of materials:
Segregation of timber waste at source is essential for success – once in the skip it will generally end up in landfill as it is too time consuming to sort.

Good practice in quantifying, costing and recording data on wastes and materials:
Inherent in the process is learning about the quantities of waste produced on site – encouraging greater waste awareness and better environmental performance.

Good practice in demolition and deconstruction activities:
Contractors that segregate the waste can get it recycled easier and should be able to save money on their disposal costs.

Lessons Learned, Benefits and Barriers

The Brighton & Hove Wood Recycling Project activities show that there can be a business case to recycle – you can reduce disposal costs - in addition to the environmental case and the positive PR that can be generated (which is also good for business).

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