Waste and Material Efficiency

Highlights

95% of waste materials are purposefully reused
- 54% of material (residuals) recovered to manufacture value-added wood products pulp, MDF and innovative bioproducts
- 16% diverted from disposal for beneficial uses such as agriculture, industrial and landscaping purposes
- 25% of waste materials used to generate carbon-neutral, biomass energy (89% of our mills generate energy from wood residuals)

Approach to Material Efficiency

We utilize 99 per cent of every log
- Innovative technology enables the recovery of 20% more of a log for lumber than was possible 20 years ago.
- We recover the woody byproducts of wood processing to make other high-value wood products: pulp, MDF, biomaterials and bioenergy

2019 Material Efficiency - 11.3 million tonnes

The most significant material input to our company is wood fibre. We manufacture long-life, renewable, sustainable wood products that at the end of life, may be reused, recycled or consumed for energy generation.

Our objective is to attain the best value logs entering one of our operations. To achieve the maximum recovery from every log entering our mills, we use scanning technology to determine what the ideal mix of wood products that can be made from each log. The use of technology to make better milling decisions helps to recover 20% more of a log for lumber than was possible 20 years ago.

Waste not, want not: on average, 99 per cent of each log will be utilized whether it is turned into a wood product, panel, pulp, other beneficial products or used in a bioenergy system.

Virtually every part of a log will find a use within our operations. Our Canadian operations are integrated to make the best use of wood fibre. Sawdust and shavings from our lumber mills supply our medium density fibreboard (MDF) plants, are sold for agricultural purposes or transformed into fuel and energy to run the mill. Wood chips and the wood cores from our lumber, plywood and veneer operations are used to make pulp. Even the heat, steam and gases that develop during our manufacturing processes can be captured to provide energy to our mills.

Full log utilization

Efficient fibre utilization and recovery has several benefits. It is the greatest value-producing approach, achieving the most efficient use of renewable natural resources, reducing waste and improving the recovery and circularity of our manufacturing processes. By innovating our production process, we have continued to improve our recovery and use of the wood residuals, greatly reducing the volume of material previously sent to landfills.

If it is not used in a West Fraser operation, residual fibre is also converted into agricultural and landscaping products for local sale or further industrial processing. These products range from bark mulch, animal bedding, and soil amendment and enhancers (fertilizer), to absorbents, road base and other unique uses – like soil stabilization for recreational parks and industrial site reclamation.

Wood biomass generates the majority (69%) of the energy for West Fraser’s operations, with 89% of our mill facilities generating energy from biomass. Some of our facilities also supply residual material to wood pellet producers.

See the Environmental Policy about our approach and commitment to operating responsibly. Waste water reporting can be found in the Water Use section.

306-1 Waste generation and significant waste-related impacts

As a primary manufacturer, West Fraser does not use post-consumer recycled materials to produce our wood products. Our focus is on achieving the highest possible utilization of wood fibre in our operations. The coproducts (residuals) of our primary manufacturing activities are extensively recovered and reused to make other wood and energy products.

306-2 Management of significant waste-related mpacts

Pulp & MDF Operations - 6 facilities

West Fraser operates two medium density fibreboard (MDF) mills. MDF is made from recycled coniferous sawdust and shavings sourced from Canadian wood procurement and wood processing activities. We hold SCS Recycled Content certification affirming that our board contains more than 85% pre-consumer recycled sawdust and shavings.
Substantially all of the wood chip fibre necessary for West Fraser-managed pulp operations and MDF mills is recovered from wood purchase and processing activities.

Energy & Biomaterials

Over the last several years, West Fraser has built seven energy generation projects, representing about 200 megawatts of electrical generation capacity from residuals and waste-to-energy projects,
We produce carbon-neutral biomass energy from bark and other byproducts sourced from our wood processing activities. Biomass energy supplies 69% of total enterprise energy consumption,
Agricultural products for local sale such as bark mulch, animal bedding, soil amendment/enhancer (fertilizer) and pellets, and
We recover a variety of biomaterials from our pulping process, including Amalin® (lignin) and Propel ® (biocomposite).

Recycling Programs

West Fraser facilities operate recycling programs to track, reuse and recycle consumable products to reduce material transferred to landfills. We aim to utilize the recycling and return programs and services available in the regions where we operate. Beyond paper and cardboard, recycling includes a variety of materials used in operations, machine shops and for moving equipment such as oily rags, fluorescent light bulbs, toner cartridges, computer equipment, batteries, anti-freeze, plastic (where accepted) and scrap steel. Recycling and return programs include reuse materials, supplier take-back programs and incorporating training and orientation of new employees so that all employees understand and can participate in facility recycling programs.

306-3 & 306-4 Waste generated and diverted from disposal

Total generated materials includes primary manufacturing residuals, universal, hazardous and non-hazardous waste. Recovered material is manufacturing byproducts collected and recovered (or reclaimed) as a material input, in lieu of new primary material, for a recycling or manufacturing process.

Total Generated Materials		11.3 million
Beneficial Reuse / Recovery Diverted from disposal	10.8 million	95% of material generated
Residuals recovered for making value-added wood products (pulp, MDF)		54%
Diverted for energy generation		25%
Other material recovered for beneficial uses/purposes (e.g. road base, soil amendment, landscaping and agricultural products)		16%

Waste Recycling	7 thousand	0.1% of material generated
Non-Hazardous wastes recycled	93% of waste recycled	< 1%
Hazardous wastes recycled	7% of waste recycled	< 1%

306-5 Waste directed to disposal

Our manufacturing operations use authorized service providers to dispose of our hazardous waste. Before transporting hazardous waste from our operating sites, our facilities are required to appropriately manifest and track it in accordance with governing federal, state and provincial legislation.

Total Generated Materials		11.3 million
Waste Landfilled or Disposed 4% of total	Metric tonnes	0.4 million
Non-Hazardous wastes		4%
Hazardous Wastes		< 1%

Search form