ETHYL ALCOHOL FROM WOOD WASTE. 5 



As will be shown, the production of ethyl alcohol is so far the only 

 process that is applicable to the utilization of average mill-run refuse 

 from the coniferous woods and from a few of the hardwoods. It 

 affords a means of converting waste material into marketable com- 

 modities at a profit, provided sufficient quantities of waste material 

 are available in the proper locality and at the proper price. The pro- 

 cess is not applicable to the commercial conversion into alcohol of 

 lumber, merchantable timber, or other expensive forms of wood. 

 It, therefore, rests largely with the lumbermen themselves whether 

 they will accept a price for their waste which will make it commercially 

 available, or whether they will demand a price' that will make its 

 utilization prohibitive. Cooperation between the sawmill and the 

 distiller is absolutely necessary, for the distiller is dependent upon the 

 mill for his raw material, and the lumberman is dependent upon the 

 distiller for the successful disposal of his waste. During the war, 

 the return of 50 cents a cord for waste was not attactive to many of 

 the lumbermen, with the exception of some in Mississippi, where, 

 however, State laws prohibit the manufacture of ethyl alcohol. 



Some sawmill owners have not been willing to tie up their waste 

 on a 10-year contract at the price mentioned, but have preferred to 

 continue for a time to burn it in the speculative hope that some better 

 method of disposal might be found. Such action is, of course, per- 

 fectly legitimate and may possibly be the proper one. The alcohol 

 plant costs about as much as the sawmill and its auxiliaries ; so that a 

 considerable supply of raw material — enough for at least 10 years — 

 is necessary to justify the initial investment. As the life of the saw 

 mill is continually decreasing, each year that passes reduces materi- 

 ally the prospect of utilizing the sawmill waste. 



LIMITATIONS TO THE UTILIZATION OF WOOD WASTE. 



The utilization of wood waste, particularly sawmill waste, is limited 

 in a number of ways. The bulkiness of the waste material makes a 

 minimum amount of handling imperative and practically prohibits 

 its transportation, except for short distances and by means of mechan- 

 ical conveyors, such as belts and fans. The form of the waste is one 

 of the greatest difficulties in the way of its more complete utilization. 

 In sawdust and shavings not only has the length of the wood fiber 

 been reduced, but the fibers have been lacerated to such an extent 

 as to destroy their value for pulp and paper production. 



The destructive distillation of sawdust and shavings has not so far 

 been found practicable. There have been two reasons for this: 

 First, the small size of the material makes it so poor a conductor of 

 heat that it can not be charred completely in the forms of retort and 

 kiln in ordinary use; and, second, the charcoal produced is so finely 

 divided that it is difficult to cool and handle and there is no ready 



