Furniture studio changes waste to fuel

Rob Diemert shows what the briquettes look like.

BY ANDREW GOULART

The furniture studio at Trafalgar Campus is giving away free wooden briquettes to students and faculty as a way to keep the wood out of landfills.

The studio purchased a German-made wood briquetting machine last year that presses large amounts of wood dust and shavings into small cylinders, known as briquettes.

“What we’re trying to do is just keep it out of the landfill because that’s where it was going,” said Robert Diemert, furniture studio technologist and part time instructor. “That’s all we could do with it when it was just shavings.”

These briquettes save space, and eliminate the need to clean the large dust collecting machine that used to sit outside the studio.

“It was also kind of a health and safety issue because students used to do it,” said Diemert. “It cuts down on all that as well.”

Due to the briquettes being made of wood, they are ideal for heating.

“The BTUs that come off them is like a chunk of hard maple,” said Diemert. “So for heating purposes it’s great.”

However, because the briquettes may contain residue of adhesives or other chemicals, it is advised that they are only used with enclosed or outdoor fireplaces. They should be used purely for heating purposes, and not for cooking.

“These wood briquettes can be used as fuel for home heating,” said Wai Chu Cheng, the coordinator of the office for sustainability. “It is a very good way to change waste to energy.”

As the briquettes are made up of shavings and dust, they need to be kept in a dry place. If any liquid touches the briquettes, they will expand and fall apart.

The briquettes were previously only given to a select few, and so they were quickly piling up.

The furniture studio had contacted Sheridan’s office for sustainability about what to do with the extra briquettes. The office suggested making the briquettes available to everyone.

“The furniture studio took the initiative to express concern about wood waste that they are dealing with,” said Cheng, adding that the office for sustainability has helped by promoting the availability of the briquettes and also with the creation of the waiver form.

Anyone who is interested in the briquettes should stop by the furniture studio in room AA8 between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., and speak with Diemert or Peter Fleming.

You will need to sign a waiver before you can receive any briquettes. This is to ensure no one resells the briquettes, and also to inform people not to burn them in an open indoor fireplace.

You will also need to bring your own box or container.