Paper briquettes for Log Burners/open fires?

bandraoi

I'm pretty sure that burning paper in an uncontrolled environment, particularly an open fire, gives off serious quantities of nasties and is not environmentally friendly at all.

Paper contains all sorts of bleaches and the inks on them can contain alot of metals. Burning them at too low a heat or with a lack of oxygen and releasing the gases to the environment in this way wouldn't usually be advocated as an environmentally friendly disposal technique.

http://www.burnbarrel.org/Science/Dioxin2003_papers/TTakasuga424.pdf has some information but it's a bit impenetrable.

biggiebowen

Hi,

I have recently made my own paper logs for my fire from newspaper, office paper, shredding etc.

How can I test if there are any toxins released when I burn it? As I am curious to know.

Is there a kit? or any homemade kits?

thanks

robxxx

I've been making small briquettes out of waste paper at work for about a year now. Nothing large-scale, I am after all there to work, but I like the way it puts several elements together that would otherwise be wasted in the office environment.
Rather than pay any extra cash out, I have developed a pretty Heath-Robinsonish bit of kit consisting basically of a piece of tubing with small holes to let water out and a cylinder for compacting. Provided the paper mash is sufficiently porridge-like (I leave shredded waste-paper soaking over the weekend, and stir it all up before production), everything mixes together and I can pop a small cylinder of paper pulp out every couple of minutes using just my own weight pressing down. I then use the masses of warm dry air generated in the computer room to dry a batch over the weekend.
The briquettes supplement rather than replace coal, as they burn for about an hour but are reluctant to glow as purer carbon would, so the heat output is less. I'm going to try incorporating sawdust - shame I don't work for a sawmill, as buying sawdust destroys the zero cost premise - as an experiment to improve the burn. I'm actually wondering if heating the briquettes so that they turn to charcoal would improve the heat output even further.
A word of warning. Most office paper seems to be heavily bleached and this leads to some pretty disgusting waste water, which being reluctant to put straight into the sewers I put through an old Brita filter first.

Added 20-01-2011
I have now incorporated approx 60% Sawdust to the mix, and whilst it's all a bit wobbly when wet the dried brick is a joy to behold. Really useful - burns like wood. I actually tried pure Sawdust with flour and water as a binding agent, but this burns really quickly.

queenlee

Have found all the info on making briquettes and on fuel burning stoves on this Forum really useful. Been reading some of the postings on how to make all manner of fake 'logs' and hubby has just come in and proudly presented me with a wobbly sawdusty 'log' he's just been experimenting on making with an empty bean can - he's so proud of it!! We're getting our multi fuel burner put in next week and are really excited about it. Up to now we've only used one on our little canal boat and burnt all manner of things on that but the idea of recycling all the papers etc to keep us warm too is just great! Tried to get hold of the Briquette maker from Homebase for 75p now (they're giving them away) but there are none available within 50 miles or more - we're in South Wales. Well, c'est la vie....