Assessment of wood waste management in timber industries in the forest areas of Man and Daloa (Côte d’Ivoire)

The rapid growth in urbanization and population increasing the demand for manufactured wood products, thus putting pressure on the forest cover of the countries. Strategies adopted for the re-composition of the destroyed forest cover should take into account the activities of the timber industries, from the stage of tree felling to the management of the resulting wood waste. This paper assesses wood waste generation and its management practices in timber industries established in the west of the Cote d'Ivoire. The study was conducted through data collected during site visits of potential timber industries located respectively in the cities of Man (Scierie et Menuiserie du Tonkpi [SMT] and the African Wood company [Afr. Wood]) and Daloa (Groupe Ivoirien des Bois Tropicaux [GIBT] and Etablissements Coulibaly [Ets. Coul]). A total of sixty (۶۰) wood species were pulled and processed in the industries of witch ۴۴ species were recorded at GIBT, ۳۷ at SMT, ۳۳ at Ets Coul, ۱۲ at African Wood Company. However, six species [i.e. Ako, Dabema, Fraké, Framiré, Lati, and Samba] were both registered in the four structures. Volumes of logs processed in the industries were ۷۰۲۶.۵ m۳ (GIBT), ۴۶۸۶.۸ m۳ (SMT), ۳۱۹۲.۹ m۳ (Ets Coul) and ۱۸۱۶.۶ m۳ (African Wood). The transformation of said volumes in the industries generated waste volumes of ۸۶۷.۴ m۳ at Afri. Wood, ۴۱۸۶.۶ m۳ at GIBT, ۲۷۶۸.۹ m۳ at SMT and ۱۲۲۷.۲ m۳ at Ets Coul, corresponding to ۴۷.۷%, ۵۹.۶%, ۵۹.۱% and ۳۸.۴% of the respective gross wood volume of each industry. Waste generated consisted of small sizes waste such as sawdust and, coarse elements (i.e. wood core and strip, slat ends, wood debris, barks, washers, etc.) The waste management methods practiced in the industries were summed up in collection, storage, sorting, and transport to the final place of use. Recovery actions were incineration through the boiler, carbonization with furnaces for the production of charcoal (energy recovery), burning, building fences, using as firewood for drying fish and preparing food, cuttings for the transformation of furniture, rafters, etc. Apart from these circuits, the waste is left abandoned in the industries.The rapid growth in urbanization and population increasing the demand for manufactured wood products, thus putting pressure on the forest cover of the countries. Strategies adopted for the re-composition of the destroyed forest cover should take into account the activities of the timber industries, from the stage of tree felling to the management of the resulting wood waste. This paper assesses wood waste generation and its management practices in timber industries established in the west of the Cote d'Ivoire. The study was conducted through data collected during site visits of potential timber industries located respectively in the cities of Man (Scierie et Menuiserie du Tonkpi [SMT] and the African Wood company [Afr. Wood]) and Daloa (Groupe Ivoirien des Bois Tropicaux [GIBT] and Etablissements Coulibaly [Ets. Coul]). A total of sixty (۶۰) wood species were pulled and processed in the industries of witch ۴۴ species were recorded at GIBT, ۳۷ at SMT, ۳۳ at Ets Coul, ۱۲ at African Wood Company. However, six species [i.e. Ako, Dabema, Fraké, Framiré, Lati, and Samba] were both registered in the four structures. Volumes of logs processed in the industries were ۷۰۲۶.۵ m۳ (GIBT), ۴۶۸۶.۸ m۳ (SMT), ۳۱۹۲.۹ m۳ (Ets Coul) and ۱۸۱۶.۶ m۳ (African Wood). The transformation of said volumes in the industries generated waste volumes of ۸۶۷.۴ m۳ at Afri. Wood, ۴۱۸۶.۶ m۳ at GIBT, ۲۷۶۸.۹ m۳ at SMT and ۱۲۲۷.۲ m۳ at Ets Coul, corresponding to ۴۷.۷%, ۵۹.۶%, ۵۹.۱% and ۳۸.۴% of the respective gross wood volume of each industry. Waste generated consisted of small sizes waste such as sawdust and, coarse elements (i.e. wood core and strip, slat ends, wood debris, barks, washers, etc.) The waste management methods practiced in the industries were summed up in collection, storage, sorting, and transport to the final place of use. Recovery actions were incineration through the boiler, carbonization with furnaces for the production of charcoal (energy recovery), burning, building fences, using as firewood for drying fish and preparing food, cuttings for the transformation of furniture, rafters, etc. Apart from these circuits, the waste is left abandoned in the industries.