Wood Recylcing

[IPlan]

Any one have a wood recycling company in there area, where they use trees, lumber from buildings being torn down etc and make it into mulch, landscape bedding etc? If so, where is it located, and in what zone?

 

[PlannerByDay]

There aren't any in my area that I know of, but I know of some in other parts of my state. They are typically located in the outlaying area or in more industrial parts of the community. If I were to guess I zone them "Light Industrial"

 

[Gedunker]

Indiana regulates a similar land use as "yard waste transfer stations". Check out www.state.in.us/idem and search "yard waste".

We have one here in our light industrial district. I would note that it is a loud, outdoor type of use that should be segregated from uses of lesser intensity.

 

[Wulf9]

We have one in the industrial zone. They should be separated from residential and any zones sensitive to noise, dust, etc. Ours has outside storage (large piles), a very good dust management program, a water treatment facility to collect storm runoff from the site, and a whole lot of fire protection. The primary noise is machinery and trucks coming on and off site.

 

[IPlan]

Thanks for the responses. We have one that takes up about 10 acres, but it is in an agricultural area, and is operating illegally. As staff we are recommending they locate legally in an Industrial area as it is a much more appropriate area for such a use versus taking prime agricultural land. Since there are not many of these places around it is hard to compare, and explain to our Council that, yes in other areas the do locate industrial areas.

 

[Wulf9]

One thing to consider in Ag vs Industrial is large piles outdoors. If most of you industry is clean and in buildings, the outdoor piles may be better in an Ag area. If you have a lot of outdoor use in your Industrial areas, Industry would be okay.

 

[PlannerByDay]

One thing to consider in Ag vs Industrial is large piles outdoors. If most of you industry is clean and in buildings, the outdoor piles may be better in an Ag area. If you have a lot of outdoor use in your Industrial areas, Industry would be okay.

THis problem could be solved by building a large warehouse or salt-barn type structure. This would reduce dust, runoff durning rain events, and not be as ugly as a big pile of scrap wood.

 

[Wulf9]

I was going to suggest indoor storage. (Our wood products firm is considering that but has found in uneconomic for now). But the size sounded a big large for a covered operation.

 

[Rem]

We have one in a General Industrial Zone. They also recycle other building products such as concrete.

The only issue not mentioned above is odour. The site in our city is in a semi rural area with a coal washery, a car wreckers and a few farms the closest neighbours. They are probably reasonably insensitive to odour problems.

There is however a propensity for piles of mulched forest, or timber, waste to pong. It tends to be close to a sewer smell, not too dissimilar to smells from landfill following rain. No complaints have escalated to me yet but I would not be surprised if we are receiving them.

Control would be very difficult given the scale of the material being managed and the apparently low end economics of the activity (there are no bells and whistles attached to the operation).