A groundbreaking pilot project to reuse vineyard trellis posts has been launched in South Australia, marking a significant step towards advancing a circular economy for treated timber.
Together with Forest & Wood Products Australia (FWPA) and Wine Australia, the National Centre for Timber Durability and Design Life (NCTDDL) launched its Vineyard Post Reuse Pilot as part of the Timber Circularity Project in McLaren Vale on Monday 17 February.
The pilot is a practical trial testing how end-of-life treated vineyard posts can be recovered, processed and reused in a commercially and environmentally viable way.
The launch marks an important milestone in the ongoing collaboration between key partners Wine Australia, Forest and Wood Products Australia (FWPA), the Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) and the University of the Sunshine Coast.
Professor Tripti Singh, Director of the NCTDDL, emphasised the importance of collaboration.
“Together with our partners in both the forestry and viticulture sectors, we are developing practical pathways for the reuse of treated posts and other end-of-life timber products, demonstrating what collaboration across sectors, in research, industry and government can achieve,” Professor Singh said.
“There will not be one single recovery solution for posts. A diverse range of options from small mobile solutions to large-scale technologies will be required to ensure a shift towards a net positive future,” Professor Singh added.
The pilot builds on extensive groundwork undertaken through the Timber Circularity Project, including mapping the volume and condition of unused wood resources, assessing national regulations and logistics challenges, and evaluating potential recovery solutions.
Seeking solutions for problematic waste
With additional funding from the SA Department of Primary Industries and Regions, as part of the South Australian Wine Recovery Program, the FABAL Group will undertake the pilot which features a mobile processing unit that removes fasteners such as clips, staples, and nails, then cuts the posts to size using a guillotine. This process avoids hazardous sawdust and prepares the posts for reuse as agricultural fencing or landscape timber.
Ashley Keegan, CEO of the FABAL Group, highlighted the practical benefits of the pilot.
“Our goal is to convert a problematic vineyard waste stream into a product that others are willing to confidently use,” Mr. Keegan said.
The bigger picture
Preservative-treated timber and engineered wood products play a critical role in storing carbon and supporting a renewable construction future. Ensuring these products have clear and viable end-of-life pathways is essential to strengthening timber circularity. The re-use of CCA treated vineyard posts also has the potential to save the wine industry up to $3000 per hectare in disposal costs.
Professor Singh highlighted the extensive groundwork that has enabled the pilot to move forward and the importance of testing practical solutions. The pilot is one of several being planned to test other options in locations around Australia.
For media enquiries please contact
Sonya Logan
Communications Manager – Research & Innovation
Wine Australia
Phone: 0477 213 901
Email: communications@wineaustralia.com
About the Timber Circularity Project
Lead by the National Centre for Timber Durability and Design Life at the University of the Sunshine Coast, the Timber Circularity Project is funded by Forest and Wood Products Australia, Australian Forest Products Association, Wine Australia, Frame & Truss Manufacturing Association, Koppers Performance Chemicals, Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia, Hexion and Azelis.
It aims to identify and implement strategies to keep wood fibre in the supply chain, particularly treated timber and engineered wood products that are currently problematic at end-of-life.
About treated vineyard posts
To ensure durability and longevity, most vineyard posts are treated with chromated copper arsenate (CCA) (around 80%) or creosote (around 20%). Disposal of treated timber posts to licensed landfill is currently the only legal pathway for their end-of-life management. However, this pathway is rarely used due to cost and logistics, leading to stockpiling on properties.
It is conservatively estimated that over 1.7 million vineyard posts are removed annually in Australia, with the number potentially exceeding 3 million.
About the partners
Wine Australia: Empowers the success of the Australian wine sector through research, innovation, market development, and regulatory services.
Forest and Wood Products Australia (FWPA): Provides long-term funding and strategic support to the NCTDDL as a core joint venture partner.
Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA): Represents the interests of Australia’s forest products sector.
National Centre for Timber Durability and Design Life (NCTDDL): Based at the University of the Sunshine Coast, the NCTDDL leads research to strengthen timber durability standards and support timber circularity.