You may try searching the web site of the News and
Observer in Raleigh, NC. They wrote a series on the impact of chip mills on our
State. I believe the writer was Steven or Stuart Leavenworth. Huber (OSB) has at
least one plant in our state, but I remember that most of the chip mill growth
in our area being due to exports to Europe. The initial cutting for chip
mills may be mixed forests, but they are almost always replanted with fast
growing pine only. Aside from clearcutting then the issue is long term diversity
of the forest. Still the OSB concept of low quality trees and waste product
utilization is good. I just get the impression it does not reflect the actual
practice (yet?).
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I am sure this has been
worked over previously but ...... In choosing a sheathing OSB seems
to be resource efficient in that it uses fast growing trees and uses them
efficiently. However it uses adhesives that are, though improved, still
hard on the environment and indoor air. Does anyone know the
relation of OSB to chip mills or the harvest procedure and impact for it?
Hard to find a cost effective choice for sheathing. Any new products?
boone
