Where did the wood in your pellets come from?

[eddyburns]

Sounds like a silly question... But of course, the wood pulp comes from the lush forests pictured on the web site of (insert pellet manufacturer here).. Don't bet on it. In fact, you may want to check this answer before you dump your ash on the tomato plants...

In the name of recycling, some construction demolition debris (namely wood) has been banned from landfills by at least one state.. Since this material is recyclable, that sounds harmless enough - recycled wood is used in particle board and other "recycled" products... It may not be so simple.

The pellet industry is not regulated (its "self regulated"). There is no mandated testing for contaminants such as lead and arsenic... As a result, construction/demolition debris "may" have made its way to your pellet stove in the past few years. At least two pellet manufacturers have "allegedly" used construction demolition debris (apparently one is out of business and the other has discontinued this practice). And if it happened before, it can happen again.

I don't think this is a large scale problem and I'm ordering my four tons tomorrow... Understandably, there are obviously unscrupulous people in every industry. Be careful what you purchase!

Ed

 

[crausch]

Interesting points that you bring up. But I don't see how we would ever know where the raw material comes from unless you live near the manufacturer and know where their supply trucks are hauling in from.

 

[Stentor]

The pellet industry is not regulated (its "self regulated"). There is no mandated testing for contaminants such as lead and arsenic...
......
I don't think this is a large scale problem and I'm ordering my four tons tomorrow... Understandably, there are obviously unscrupulous people in every industry. Be careful what you purchase!

Ed

Excellent point. The problem can be mitigated perhaps by buying wood supposedly from trees killed by insects, as claimed by some pellet manufacturers. But the supply chain in this industry is seems to have quite a few weak links and governmental regulation is likely to be too burdensome to be a remedy. As you suggest, the best move now is for individual consumers to be careful.

 

[hoverfly]

I wonder if an over the counter lead test kit will work?

 

[maineheat]

This conversation is like deja vue for me. Last fall when oil prices were at their peak I had my oil company come and clean my boiler. While there I mentioned that I just bought a pellet stove. The tech started telling me how people thought it was so "green" and then started mentioning how wood pellet producers put construction debris in the pellets. I laughed and said if it burns and produces heat then I'll save some cash over $4.50 a gallon HHO (not that I'd burn garbage or something). Seems like this is a talking point for the fossil folks. It's a good point and would be hard to verify the raw material source as the consumer.

 

[JustWood]

I doubt much enters the raw material stream as it is very abrasive (dirty) which wears out pellet dies at a very rapid rate. Dies are a substantial operating cost for pellet makers.
Not saying some doesn't enter but I doubt very much.