A statewide mail survey of primary and secondary wood product manufacturers was undertaken to quantify the production and consumption of wood residues in Virginia.

Two hundred and sixty-six wood product manufacturers responded to the study and they provided information on the production, consumption, markets, income or disposal costs, and disposal methods of wood residues. Hardwood and pine sawmills produce approximately 66 percent of Virginia's wood residues. Virginia's wood product manufacturers produce three primary residues: chips, bark, and sawdust. These three residues comprised nearly 83 percent of Virginia's total residue production in 1996. Approximately 200,000 tons or 6 percent of Virginia's wood residues appear not to have adequate markets.

A second survey was directed to all municipal waste, construction and demolition, and "other" waste facilities in Virginia. The focus of this survey was to quantify the volume of solid wood residues received at the facilities. In addition, the study was conducted to ascertain tipping fees, did the landfill(s) actively market wood residues, were wood residues recycled, were wood residues restricted from being landfilled, and disposal methods for wood residues. Additionally, the survey was conducted to determine the type of waste facility operated, the quantity of all wastes directed to each landfill, and tipping fees.

Seventy-five respondents provided information on the total and solid wood waste volumes received at their respective facilities, recycling efforts, and disposal practices. Approximately 689,000 tons of solid wood, or 8 percent of all wastes, was received at Virginia's landfills in 1996. Virginia's waste facilities reported processing or recycling approximately 406,000 tons or 59 percent of the solid wood received in 1996.