A Nanaimo non-profit is developing a recycling process that converts damaged and landfill-destined books into logs for the fire.
Jeff Krafta, Habitat for Humanity Mid-Vancouver Island executive director, came up with the idea to cut up the books, separate the binding from the pages, shred the paper, convert it into pulp, then dry and compress it into logs for use in a fireplace or campfire.
Books such as encyclopedias are B次元官网网址渘otoriously hard to recycle,B次元官网网址� said Krafta, but seeing as some are already made with recycled paper, why not recycle again?
B次元官网网址淚 did a little research online and came up with a rudimentary plan, basically just kind of figured out how to design and build a prototype machine out of wood thatB次元官网网址檚 a hand machine,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 using a bottle jack for the compression to create some of these fire logs. They actually work really, really well.B次元官网网址�
Krafta said eventually the plan is to sell the logs, although that is still a work in progress.
B次元官网网址淩ight now, thereB次元官网网址檚 too much inconsistency in the product B次元官网网址� some are 16 inches long, some are 14 inches long B次元官网网址� so thatB次元官网网址檚 the next step, is creating the step-by-step process for the consistency and the production level so that itB次元官网网址檚 viable.B次元官网网址�
Keeping the product as chemical-free as possible is another consideration with a product intended to be burned, he said.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 nothing unnatural and we only use black-and-white printed paper. We donB次元官网网址檛 use any glossy kind of paper, color paper, clay-glazed paper, so thereB次元官网网址檚 a certain element of books that still cannot be used,B次元官网网址� Krafta said.
Testing for carbon emissions is something on the wish list, but that will happen B次元官网网址渄own the road,B次元官网网址� he said, as he doesnB次元官网网址檛 have the proper tools at this point.
B次元官网网址淨uite often what people complain about is the smell of the wood stove and the smoke it creates B次元官网网址� these create almost no smoke,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 foresee there potentially being people concerned over the carbon emissions, but I would say itB次元官网网址檚 no different than a wood stove or a campfire or burning dry firewood.B次元官网网址�
Habitat for Humanity Mid-Vancouver IslandB次元官网网址檚 efforts were assisted by $60,000 from the Regional District of NanaimoB次元官网网址檚 zero waste recycling fund money in 2023, with $80,000 granted in 2024 to further the work.
Currently, a chop saw is used to cut up books. Krafta envisions a system that would allow multiple books to be cut up at once, an automated barrel roller to mix the pulp, and a hydraulic press to apply consistent pressure on every log.
Ben Geselbracht, RDN solid waste management select committee chairperson, said the zero waste funding is intended for projects like this.
B次元官网网址淚n our solid waste management plan, waste-to-energy is sort of the lowest of the upcycling that can occur. Some products are really hard to deal with, [and] this is a way that theyB次元官网网址檙e able to get a bit of value out of the paperB次元官网网址次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a necessary step in a larger picture of looking how to really keep those materials in use.B次元官网网址�
Habitat for Humanity has reached out to organizations in Nanaimo to assist in the effort, including the Rotary Club of Nanaimo, which hosts a used book sale twice a year.
In an e-mail, Janeane Coutu, Rotary book sale committee co-chairperson, said her organization contributed to the effort with four pallets of books last April.
B次元官网网址淥ur Rotary club hopes to supply Habitat for Humanity with all the books they need going forward on this book-recycling project,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a win-win for us to dispose of our inventory of unusable/unsellable books, and to provide Habitat with the raw materials they require for this endeavour.B次元官网网址�
As a condition of the grant, the RDN is requiring 25,000 books be recycled this year.
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