QUALITY OF WOOD RESIDUE AND USED WOOD IN THE FUNCTION OF SUSTAINABLE WOOD FUEL PRODUCTION

This study presents the results of an analysis of relevant EU standards and regulations related to the quality of wood residue from the wood processing industry and used wood. The use of these categories of woody biomass for the production of wood fuels is in line with the requirements of the EN ISO 17225-1:2021 standard. In this specific case, the analysis is limited to the use of these categories of woody biomass for the production of wood pellets, wood briquettes and wood chips. In addition to the quality assessment required by the standard, the systems used in the UK and Germany to grade wood residue and used wood were also analyzed. The analysis also included the main EU regulations for waste management, including wood waste, to understand how they address the quality of wood residue and used wood. The study found that the quality of wood residue from the wood processing industry and of used wood used for the production of wood fuel is only determined by the content of heavy metals and organohalogen compounds. The subject of this study is therefore the EU standards and regulations relevant to the quality and management of wood residue from the wood processing industry and used wood. In addition, the grading systems of wood residue and used wood in selected European countries and the corresponding EU regulations were also the subject of the study. The research was carried out with the aim of determining the quality that wood residue from the wood processing industry and used wood should have in order to be used for the production of wood fuels. Future studies will extend the analysis to the EU regulations for wood packaging and the trade volume of these products on the EU market.