Waste wood knows no borders. This makes regular dialogue with international market players even more important. The meeting of the German Association of Waste Wood Processors and Recyclers (BAV), held in Strasbourg on 23 and 24 June, provided the ideal platform for exactly that. Representatives from across Europe came together to discuss market developments, strengthen existing partnerships, and establish new connections. Our colleagues Michel Wülbers-Mindermann and Rayane Mokdad from the Recycling & Waste Unit also attended the event and gained valuable insights from the international meeting.
INDUSTRY MEETING IN STRASBOURG
The two-day meeting focused on personal exchange. A joint dinner on the first evening provided the ideal opportunity for networking, while the following day featured specialist presentations by participants such as Kronospan Luxembourg, offering current insights into the European waste wood industry. Overall, the discussions highlighted the diversity of the European market. A closer look at France illustrates the current momentum shaping the waste wood market there.
A MARKET WITH POTENTIAL
According to a study by the French Agency for Ecological Transformation (ADEME), approximately 8.7 million tonnes of waste wood are generated in France each year. Around 7.4 million tonnes are collected and channelled into different recovery routes: some 3.2 million tonnes are currently recycled into wood-based materials, while a further 2.6 million tonnes are used for energy recovery. Nevertheless, significant potential remains, as around 1.6 million tonnes of the collected material end up in landfill. This presents a major opportunity: by further expanding recycling infrastructure, even more waste wood can be recovered as a valuable secondary raw material and returned to the circular economy.
France also plays a crucial role in European trade. Around 1.8 million tonnes of the collected waste wood are exported for recycling – primarily to Belgium, Luxembourg, Italy, and Germany, underlining the country’s importance as a sourcing market. This trend is likely to remain dynamic in the coming years. By 2028, recycling capacity is forecast to increase from around 1.6 million tonnes to approximately 2.5 million tonnes. New facilities and investments will help to recycle a larger proportion of waste wood domestically. Concurrently, regulatory requirements are becoming increasingly important. In particular, the requirements of RED III and certification schemes such as SURE-EU are becoming ever more significant for all stakeholders and are increasingly shaping market requirements.
SHAPING CHANGE TOGETHER
In a European context, it is therefore worth keeping a close eye on these developments. Increasing recycling capacities, new regulatory requirements, and growing competition will shape the industry in the years to come. Events such as the BAV meeting are therefore all the more valuable, as they encourage professional exchange across borders and enable trends to be assessed at an early stage and opportunities to be seized collectively.