Free firewood

room512

Me too and read this - Burning driftwood can produce polychlorinated dibenzodioxins (PCDDs), also known as the misnomer "dioxins", which are carcinogenic. For this reason burning driftwood is not recommended. The formation of PCDDs is well documented when organic compounds are combusted in the presence of chlorine, which is present in driftwood as a result of soaking in seawater

Seakay

would this be the same problem if you were burning driftwood in a wood burner?
I'm assuming that the amounts invloved are not great or else there would be more problems with barbeques and bonfires on the beach.

zaxdog

Having spent last night looking at various pieces of research then I'm afriad we will keep with the free driftwood. Since most of it has only been briefly in the sea and has had a good wash in the rain (and OH accidentally drenching the log pile whilst washing the car and hosing down the dog)! We also get free broken pallets and plenty of fallen wood from the trees in the area (and skip diving) so driftwood is only a small part of our wood stock.

If I listened to everything that caused cancer/was toxic I'd never eat/leave the house etc

Badrick

I'd imagine that unless your woodburner was emanating fumes into your room because the room in inadequately ventilated or the flue was blocked, the PCDDs should go up the chimney with all the other toxic gases.
If your fire has a good "pull" when it's lit, I don't see a problem provided you use non driftwood to initially light fire.

bearcub

I do sympathise about the 'gift' of free wood but, as a chemist (now retired) who lives near the sea and a river estuary, I thought it my duty to warn you. The only thing I'll add is that you can't know how long the wood has been in the sea, therefore you can't know how much salt it's absorbed.

zaxdog

bearcub wrote: »

I do sympathise about the 'gift' of free wood but, as a chemist (now retired) who lives near the sea and a river estuary, I thought it my duty to warn you. The only thing I'll add is that you can't know how long the wood has been in the sea, therefore you can't know how much salt it's absorbed.

Actually I can for lots of it. Ie watch tree fall into sea after storm on island a few hundred feet from the shore on one day and a few days later drag said tree up beach to chop up :-)

We'll leave the rest of it in a pile to have a good rinse over the Scottish summer :cool: and use more fallen wood until it has had a good bath :rotfl:

bearcub

Tip a bottle of bubble bath over it - then you'll have scented firewood! :rotfl: Btw, I'm surre you would anyway, but if you use a woodburner, and/or have had your chimney lined with a metal casing, do make sure you get it checked regularly if you use salty wood. Apart from what's already been said, salt is very corrosive.

wik

ohhh free wood !! my favorite thing to get!!!

we have a cast iron stove, and have to buy some wood, but no wood ever gets wasted!! my brother has just built an extension and we got all his offcuts , he also had about 15 horrid leylandii in his garden, they spent last summer in a heap if rounds in our back garden and have been super...

Anytime I am out for a walk I have a carrier bag in pocket to collect small branches!

I even make my darling monsters put any lolly sticks they have into the kindles basket

jem132

I am a wood horder and don't even have a fire, but my mum does and I live next to a massive wood I take my pooch round said woods for 2 hours in the am and 2 hours in the pm and collect logs for my mum for the 3 years she has had hers she's never bought any wood.

I have been in yesterday with the wheelbarrow and collect logs from a fallen down tree last week a tree on my street fell down I was straight on the phone to my mum who came with the chainsaw to take it away lol I have to admit I was a bit worried thinking I was gona get arrested, my mum was like it's okay if it's on the ground, I am not sure about a whole tree with a chainsaw tho she just said we are saving the council a job :eek:

suki1964

jem132 wrote: »

I am a wood horder and don't even have a fire, but my mum does and I live next to a massive wood I take my pooch round said woods for 2 hours in the am and 2 hours in the pm and collect logs for my mum for the 3 years she has had hers she's never bought any wood.

I have been in yesterday with the wheelbarrow and collect logs from a fallen down tree last week a tree on my street fell down I was straight on the phone to my mum who came with the chainsaw to take it away lol I have to admit I was a bit worried thinking I was gona get arrested, my mum was like it's okay if it's on the ground, I am not sure about a whole tree with a chainsaw tho she just said we are saving the council a job :eek:

Actually that is theft and without permission from the wood owners, you can be prosecuted