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Moves on importing Ash as firewood...?


ben_inthewoods
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My understanding at present is that if the wood is correctly kiln dried ( genuine high temperature kiln ) the risk is negated, however some firewood entering the UK from the Baltics may be dried in lower temperature kilns.

We as responsible importers see print outs of the drying schedules of each load dried.

The recent report by Forest Research to FC Plant health giving an overview of UK trade in woodfuel is a little sketchy. They do not appear to be able to get very accurate figures on volumes imported, based on their figures, 8400 tonnes of firewood was imported into the UK in 2012, I would suggest it was more than double that figure and that 2013 would see that figure double again.

There is a responsibility on importers to ensure that any wood imported has been kiln dried correctly.

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My understanding at present is that if the wood is correctly kiln dried ( genuine high temperature kiln ) the risk is negated, however some firewood entering the UK from the Baltics may be dried in lower temperature kilns.

We as responsible importers see print outs of the drying schedules of each load dried.

The recent report by Forest Research to FC Plant health giving an overview of UK trade in woodfuel is a little sketchy. They do not appear to be able to get very accurate figures on volumes imported, based on their figures, 8400 tonnes of firewood was imported into the UK in 2012, I would suggest it was more than double that figure and that 2013 would see that figure double again.

There is a responsibility on importers to ensure that any wood imported has been kiln dried correctly.

 

paper based self certification - sounds a bit horse meaty then doesn't it?

 

given that kilning logs can be done in bulk bags (in the Logpro kiln) and this is similar to the better kilns in Latvia it would quite interesting to know what temp or moisture content did for all EAB's in a batch of 50m3 logs - has this research been done? i would strongly doubt it.

 

If DEFRA and FC GB are serious about the "very, very radical changes" as Owen Patterson stated at the Plant Health Summit on Monday the precautionary principle needs to be taken now and the research done - the warnings are out there, crying shame if folk were caught with their pants down.

 

cheers

Ben

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going by what I have read on US sites to kill spores and pathogens etc you need a core log temp of 160 Fahrenheit for minimum of 45 minutes, fast drying hight temp kilns run at minimum of 220 up 260 Fahrenheit.

 

Quote from FR Report to FC Plant Health - Author Geoff Hogan 2013

 

"The only phytosanitation mechanism is therefore kiln drying to <20% MC. However in relation to maximising pest reduction for both insects and pathogens in wood, the drying process must be achieved through an appropriate time and temperature schedule, with the main impact coming from high temperature kiln drying."

 

Broonie you are correct.

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Quote from FR Report to FC Plant Health - Author Geoff Hogan 2013

 

"The only phytosanitation mechanism is therefore kiln drying to <20% MC. However in relation to maximising pest reduction for both insects and pathogens in wood, the drying process must be achieved through an appropriate time and temperature schedule, with the main impact coming from high temperature kiln drying."

 

Broonie you are correct.

 

Not arguing with that, but is that the temp of all 'kilned' ash? Oh of course it must be, because the system is a self certifying paper trail.....Horseburger for tea?

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Not arguing with that, but is that the temp of all 'kilned' ash? Oh of course it must be, because the system is a self certifying paper trail.....Horseburger for tea?

 

Surely voluntary self certification is better than no certification ? Or perhaps you think it is not worth the bother ?

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Split, undebarked, oak firewood kiln-dried at 140, 180, and 220 °F was dried from

52 to 20 percent moisture content (dry basis) in 260, 90, and 30 hours. Pieces

stacked parallel to the direction of airflow dried as quickly as pieces piled

randomly

The drying times for the experimental conditions are shown in figure 2. The

average initial moisture content was 52 percent (dry basis). As expected, the

drying time decreases as temperature increases. The times required to reach 20

percent moisture content were as follows:

Loading method Drying temperature (hours)

140 °F 180 °F 220 °F

Parallel stacks 226 97 34

Random stacks 287 87 29

Average 257 92 32

 

http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/fplrn/fplrn254.pdf

sample of forced air firewood kiln

kiln-direct.com

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