Sawdust shortage looms

[Dylan Smith]

Apparently there's gold in dem dere dust collectors:


Sawdust shortage looms as economy slows (http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/daily/local/78504.php)

"Ernie Johnson figured $100-a-barrel oil was bound to happen someday. But the 58-year-old businessman in Missoula, Mont., never thought he'd see sawdust at $100 a ton.
The price of sawdust has soared since 2006, up from about $25 a ton to more than $100 in some markets. Blame the housing slump: Fewer new homes mean fewer trees cut for use in construction, which leads to less sawdust and other wood waste, driving up the price.

[Joe Chritz]

Strangely enough I was just discussing this with one of the guys at work. He has steers and buys sawdust from a local mill by the large truck load.

$55 last year, $100 and change this year and they are only selling it at that for existing customers. Everything else goes to another local mill to get extruded into wood pellets for pellet stoves. The mills tripled their profit on sawdust pretty much overnight.

Joe

[Al Wasser]

Over the years the lumber industry has become more aware and found ways to use what once was just burned. Sawdust burners were pretty much shut down many years ago. Now that stuff can be made into particle board, stove pellets, etc. It is also harder to get the trees to cut at least off of public lands thanks the enviros that don't want it cut, but will allow the bugs and fires to have it.