Wood Products Waste Management Trend

The following graph shows the 10-year trend in quantities of TRI chemical waste managed through recycling, energy recovery, treatment, and disposal or other releases by facilities in the wood products manufacturing sector. For more details on quantities released, toggle to the “Releases only” graph.

From 2014 to 2023:

• Chemical waste reported by wood products manufacturing facilities was largely from creosote and methanol which accounted for two thirds of waste managed (67%).
  • Creosote, a carcinogen, is applied under high pressure to wood to protect it against termites, fungi, and other pests. Almost all creosote waste (95%) is recycled.
  • More methanol waste was treated (48%) and disposed of (57%) than other chemicals in this sector.
• Waste managed from wood products manufacturing: 10 million pound decrease (-18%), driven by decreases in waste recycled and treated.

From 2022 to 2023:

• Waste managed by wood products manufacturing facilities: 8 million pound decrease ( 15%), driven by decreases in waste recycled and treated.

The following graph shows the quantities of TRI chemicals released by facilities in the wood products manufacturing industry.

From 2014 to 2023:

• Releases from the wood products manufacturing sector increased in recent years.
  • The increase starting in 2020 was driven by increased disposal of zinc to an off-site landfill from one facility in the sector.
• The sector’s releases are primarily to air, and of the chemicals released to air, methanol and formaldehyde account for approximately two-thirds of the sector’s air emissions.
  • The sector’s air releases have decreased since 2019, driven by a 290-thousand-pound decrease (-23%) in formaldehyde air emissions.
• Sector’s value added: 26% increase, as reported by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, Value Added by Industry (represented by the black line).

From 2022 to 2023:

• Releases: 1.7 million pound decrease (-14%), driven by a decrease in air releases and off-site disposal.

Wood Products Manufacturing Formaldehyde Releases

Formaldehyde exposure can have a negative effect on health, both in the short and long term, including irritation of the skin, eyes, nose, and throat. High levels of exposure may cause some types of cancers. While formaldehyde is one of the top chemicals released to air by the wood products manufacturing sector, releases have declined by 23% since 2014, with most of the reductions resulting from decreased emissions by the veneer, plywood, and engineered wood product subsector.

The following graph shows the quantities of formaldehyde released to air by facilities in the veneer, plywood, and engineered wood product subsector.

• Facilities in the veneer, plywood, and engineered wood product subsector use formaldehyde in resins in the manufacture of composite wood products (hardwood plywood, particleboard and medium-density fiberboard).
• Beginning in 2018, an EPA formaldehyde emission standard went into effect for composite wood products. The standard requires that formaldehyde emissions from these products must be below the emissions levels set by EPA.