| June 3, 2003
News Release Forest Concepts, LLC, a developer of products made in part from urban wood waste, is the newest member of the LinkUp program. LinkUp was developed by King County to encourage businesses to use more recycled materials in the products they make. For several years, Forest Concepts, based in Federal Way, Wash., has been working to develop an all-wood erosion control material that could take the place of agricultural straw. The result is WoodStrawTM spreadable wood strands, a new product still in the testing stage. WoodStraw strands can be made from several sources: small-diameter timber (less than 7 inches in diameter) generated when tree stands are thinned; wood pieces left from construction projects, and waste wood from plywood veneer manufacturers. The product is particularly well suited for use in habitat restoration projects, such as forest fire recovery efforts and re-planting activities associated with construction projects. Encouraging new markets for urban wood waste is a priority for King County because of the large quantity of wood waste generated by construction sites. Typically, wood waste is either disposed of in a landfill or ground up for low-value uses, such as boiler fuel and landscape mulch. A product like WoodStraw erosion control material can be used in urban construction sites, highway projects and landscaping where erosion control is needed. Not only will this product use urban wood waste in an effective and environmentally friendly way, but it will also reduce the amount of agricultural straw imported into the Puget Sound region, replacing it with locally generated, recycled materials. Agricultural straw made from non-indigenous materials can sometimes introduce noxious weeds into its new setting. The straw decomposes rapidly, which minimizes its effectiveness, and fine dust that arises from the straw can cause respiratory irritation to the workers who spread the straw by hand or by machine. Currently, the U.S. Forest Service is testing the physical properties and performance of WoodStraw material on lands affected by wildfire and on road construction projects in rural areas. Once this and other testing is completed, Forest Concepts plans to license the technology to community-based businesses located in areas where raw materials are plentiful, such as near forests controlled by national fire plans or in urban and industrial sites where large quantities of wood waste are generated. The LinkUp team will help Forest Concepts identify wood suppliers and erosion control specifiers and users. The team may also provide assistance in researching and evaluating the market potential for this new product. Forest Concepts, founded in 1998, develops and manufactures specialized small-wood structures for habitat enhancement, threatened and endangered species protection, erosion control, environmental restoration and landscape markets. The company's first product was ELWd® brand habitat logs, engineered large-wood debris structures that replicate the form and function of native remnant large-wood debris and are used for salmon habitat restoration. LinkUp was launched three years ago to encourage manufacturers to incorporate more recycled materials into their products. The program, sponsored by the King County Solid Waste Division, offers free, customized technical and promotional support to eligible businesses. LinkUp works with four to six new businesses each year. For more information about the LinkUp program, contact Erv Sandlin at 206-296-0233 or visit the Linkup Web site.
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