HC Deb 19 July 1944 vol 402 cc198-9W
Commander Locker-Lampson

asked the Minister of Supply what uses sawdust is now being put to; and whether the waste in this direction has been met.

Sir A. Duncan

Sawdust is being put to a variety of uses, including the following:

  1. (a) for firelighters and briquettes;
  2. (b) for fish, bacon and ham curing;
  3. (c) for butchers' shops, slaughter-houses, markets, etc., for use as an absorbent;
  4. (d) for bedding in stables, cow sheds and kennels;
  5. (e) in metal industries as a cleaning, drying or polishing agent;
  6. (f) for packing material for fragile goods;
  7. (g) for heat and sound insulation;
  8. (h) in the toy industry;
  9. (i) in certain paper mills;
  10. (j) for use as fuel in heating-stoves;
  11. (k) for mixture with cement.
In addition, sawdust ground into "wood flour" is used in various industries in the manufacture of inter alia linoleum, explosives, plastic wood and moulded products; and wood ash from burnt sawdust is a valuable constituent of fertilisers. These outlets are, however, insufficient to absorb the total quantity arising, especially in view of the difficulty of transport, and investigations into the Possibility of finding other economic uses are continuing.