Wood is often used in renovation work. When old pieces of furniture have had their day, or old timber is no longer used, the question of disposal arises. This depends on the chemical load on the material.

How wood should be disposed of depends on what it has been treated with

A I: Untreated wood

If it is natural wood that has not been treated with impregnation agents, paint or varnish, you can burn the material in the oven in accordance with the Waste Wood Ordinance. Such residues may end up in the residual waste in small quantities. Since it is a raw material, you should recycle it or give it away via internet exchanges. In this way, the wood residues remain in the cycle of use and are not lost.

Examples of natural wood:

  • pure Euro pallets (29.99€) made of solid wood
  • ecological fruit boxes
  • unpainted furniture

A II: Lacquered wood

Indoor furniture is painted and varnished for durability. Treated wood residues that do not contain any wood preservatives or halogenated organic compounds may be disposed of in small quantities with household waste. Specialist companies use the material as fuel. Another disposal option is bulky waste collection. Here you can also dispose of floorboards and doors or MDF and chipboard that are used for the back walls of cupboards.

A III: Wood with PVC coating

A lot of furniture is finished with PVC foil because it is easier to care for. It gives a modern look to old or worn objects. While films can be removed before disposal, PVC coatings penetrate the material. These organohalogen compounds consist of bromine, chlorine or iodine and are harmful to the environment. Disposal via the recycling center or specialist companies that thermally recycle the wood residues is necessary.

A IV: Exterior wood with wood preservatives

If wood residues from gazebos or windows accumulate during renovation work, these must be handed over to a specialist recycling company. Hop poles, railway sleepers or firewood are contaminated with other substances such as pesticides, waste oil or soot and are considered to be extremely hazardous to the environment.

Special category: PCB waste wood

A special category in the Waste Wood Ordinance is soundproofing and insulation boards. Such leftovers contain polychlorinated biphenyls and may only be disposed of by special PCB disposal companies that have the appropriate recycling facilities.

tips

If you can't assign wood residues to a waste wood category, classify it in the next higher class to be on the safe side.

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Care tips