         Over the past decade, the forest industry has become very proactive in addressing environmental concerns…. We (the forest industry) have to be responsible for materials introduced to the environment, and part of that, certainly, is recovering used strand and using recycled strand. Like any initiative, however, you have to join together in a team effort to make it a success. That means participation by the teams doing the hands-on work and by the ones setting policy. - Clay Brown, Security Manager, Coast Forest and Lumber Association |
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 Log bundling strand helps ensure the safe and reliable transportation of log booms in the marine environment. The use of log bundling strand by British Columbia forest industry has increased steadily since its introduction in the 1980’s. Over 30.5 million metres (100 million feet) of strand are now used annually in this province - split almost evenly between coastal and interior operations. Once logs reach the mills, bundles are broken and the strand is usually discarded. It is estimated that 75% of the strand used by the coastal forest industry is abandoned on river bottoms and on the ocean floor. This type of waste is not only environmentally inappropriate, but can adversely affect a company’s bottom line. Log bundling strand is not an approved material for ocean disposal. The physical properties of strand adversely affect fish habitat. As most log bundling strand is zinc-coated, it does not readily break down in the marine environment. Furthermore, log bundling strand is a poor substrate for encrusting animals and plants and therefore can degrade existing aquatic habitat, remove or reduce food sources, and displace organisms from their normal environments.  Recycling log bundling strand can have positive effects on the sale of British Columbia’s forest products on international market. Inappropriate handling and disposal of strand, on the other hand, may preclude environmental certifications under ISO (International Standards Organization) 14001 and the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council), adversely affecting lumber sales. It is in the best interest of British Columbia’s forest industry to recover log bundling strand and use recycled material. |
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