In today’s world, consumers and businesses are increasingly concerned not only with the quality of products they use, but with their sustainability.
This has led to a global trend throughout many countries in which recycled materials are used in place of new materials when possible. One such reusable material that is being recycled into several different useful products is recycled wood. Recycled wood can come from wood that’s been used in anything from furniture to housing to old railroad ties.
Here are six products made from recycled wood today that aid with sustainability and limit waste.
Paper Products
One such product made from recycled wood is recycled paper products, such as recycled disposable cups and food trays. These products are made from old newspapers and cardboard, which is then ground to a pulp and mixed with water. This pulp mixture is poured into molds to create the paper product in question.
Recycled wood can also be used in the production of recycled paper products for other purposes, such as photo paper. In this process, used paper is mixed with water and chemicals to create a pulp that can be used as a base for the photo paper. This photo paper is then created using a machine that washes away unwanted materials from the pulp mixture, allowing only the cellulose fibers to remain intact. These fibers are then pressed into rolls of photo paper.
Landscaping Materials
Another product created from recycled wood is recycled landscape material and topsoil. These landscape materials are made using shredded pieces of old logs, tree limbs, stumps, or other wooden products that can be ground into small chips or fibers.
Recycled mulch can be added to lawns, gardens, flower beds, and even used for erosion control. One example of landscaping products made from recycled wood is TieRoc, a specific product created from old railroad ties that is used as a cost-effective and environmentally friendly base road layer in landfills.
Shipping Pallets
Another recycled wood product is recycled shipping pallets. Recycled pallets can be made out of wood previously used in a building or in the construction industry. Pallets built from recycled wood can be used in a similar manner to new pallets, and they introduce significant cost savings to companies using them instead of buying new.
Recycled Furniture
Wood can often be repurposed to create recycled furniture. This creative solution can be used even on an individual basis, but environmentally-focused companies are increasingly sourcing solely reused wood whenever possible.
Building Supplies
Another product created with recycled wood is building supplies. These products include materials like reclaimed lumber, rot-resistant wood used to frame homes and other buildings, or studs made of 100% recycled wood.
Flooring
Finally, flooring can also be created from recycled wood. Wood floors are popular choices for homeowners looking for a classic look, and often wood that isn’t too far gone can be repolished and repurposed for use in flooring materials.
Each recycled wood product has an important impact on the environment by recycling used or waste materials into useful products that are either recycled again or recycled into new products.
Recycling not only benefits the environment by recycling waste materials rather than creating new waste products from raw materials, but it also benefits companies financially by keeping costs low for production needs. This saves both businesses and consumers money while also providing recycled wood products that are of high quality and durability.