U.K. backs waste wood biofuel

LONDON, April 10 (UPI) -- The U.K. government will begin reusing waste wood as fuel.

The potential of reusing waste wood as fuel is being wasted, Environment Minister Joan Ruddock said.

"It has been estimated that recovering energy from 2 million tons of waste wood could generate 2,600 gigawatts of electricity and save 1.15 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions, with greater benefits available by recovering heat as well as power. This is a huge potential resource that is being wasted," Ruddock said.

A new report on the sector surveyed the activities of producers, aggregators and users of waste wood and suggests recycling and energy markets for clean, virgin wood have been growing in recent years however waste wood has been overlooked.

About 10 million tons of waste wood is produced in the United Kingdom each year, most of which goes to landfill.

The report and Ruddock suggest the public should be made more aware of this untapped biomass resource available in municipal, construction and demolition and commercial and industrial waste streams.