Scraps to Sheds: A Hands-on Approach to Wood Wastes
Organisation: Bristol Wood Recycling Project, established in 2004, is a social enterprise working to benefit community and environment, transforming waste into shared assets. The operation is self-financed through a wood waste collection service, timber yard, and a wood workshop in which volunteers learn to produce bespoke furniture.
Location: Unit 4 William St, Bristol BS2 0RG
The Challenge
The UK generates around 4.5 million tonnes of wood waste annually, a majority of this comes from construction, demolition, and refurbishment sectors, which often face high disposal costs and lack accessible solutions for reuse.
The challenge in managing wood waste is that high quality, reusable excess wood is often redirected to lower-value applications, instead of being repurposed effectively for higher-value uses. This practice exacerbates deforestation issues, as the demand for virgin resources continues to rise.
The Innovation
Bristol Wood Recycling Project (BWRP) has been operating innovative wood reuse and recovery practices for 20 years in Bristol. They collect excess wood throughout the week from local businesses, construction sites, and residents, salvaging it for reuse.
In 2023, the Bristol Wood Recycling Project (BWRP) rescued 438.2 tonnes of wood, preventing approximately 218 tonnes of CO2e emissions. Of this, 137.7 tonnes were successfully redirected up the waste hierarchy for reuse in community DIY and building projects or transformed into a variety of products ranging from bird boxes, bookcases, shelving to dining tables.
The project’s core innovation lies in creating a marketplace for reclaimed wood, offering it for resale to the public at affordable prices.
The challenge of effectively recycling marginal wood collected from construction sites—wood that is not valuable enough for resale but too good to be chipped—was previously addressed by processing it into firewood and kindling. However, now the ‘Shed Zone’ focuses on low-tech upcycling of this marginal material to create storage solutions for recycling boxes, wheelie bins, and garden storage needs.
In their Bristol workshop, the team engages in the labour-intensive process of removing nails and preparing wood for reuse while also serving as a community hub. Volunteers from disadvantaged backgrounds—including ex-offenders and individuals facing substance abuse, learning difficulties or mental health challenges— build self-esteem and confidence while gaining practical skills that aid their reintegration into the community.
In 2023, the remaining wood, 300.5 tonnes, was recycled into woodchip for use in the manufacture of particleboard, animal bedding, or as carbon-neutral fuel in power stations.
BWRP’s Social and Environmental Impact Report 2024
Explore more on:
Bristol Wood Recycling Project – What do we do?
Read about BWRP’s timber collection service
This case study uses insights from an interview with Sam Baker, Collections Coordinator at Bristol Wood Recycling Project.
Contact details
collections@bwrp.org.uk