Biomass is the biodegradable fraction of products, waste and biological waste from agricultural activities (including vegetable and animal substances), forestry and related industries, including fishing and aquacultureas well as the biodegradable fraction of industrial and municipal waste. Within this global definition is the material managed companies which represents Aserma, whose link is wood in its wider meaning.

In order to publicize the important work being done by the Member companies, Aserma facilitates data enabling to learn more the activity of companies representing both the Association and the need and importance of management that they perform. The report by Aserma, who is representing the logistics companies that are responsible and manage wood biomass recovered in Spain, analyzes the global tonnage of managed material, its breakdown in origins and destinations and the reasons for the changes over the years.

The volume of wood biomass managed between 2007 and 2009 by Aserma associated companies can be seen in the figure 1. Before the year 2007 exceeded one million tons managed and then came the strong fall of that year and the year 2008. During the 2009 were also handled fewer tons, while it is true that the pace of decline was slower and this was also the tonic in 2010.

During 2007 and until 2009, she climbed exponentially the shipment of materials to the landfill, and the current trend indicates that more material could manage (between 30-50% more) if they resolved the problem of the garbage dump in Spain. There were also massive withdrawals of containers and of services, problems of defaults, delays, etc. According to Aserma, this data does not provide that wood is not mobilized, being abandoned or burned without any use.

By 2011 all point to a certain stability; the sector has shrunk much in these four years and although the volume will continue to fall slowly not expected the strong declines in 2007 and 2008.

Within this evolution of the total volume managed, there has also been naturally a variation in the origins of the material which explains much the global fallout. Such percentage variations between the years 2007 and 2008 can be seen in Figure 2.

The trend for the years 2007, 2008 and 2009 has been the lows recorded in all major sources related to the wood and furniture chain. Thus the timber furniture, containers, pallets and carpentry industry has slipped gradually. Stand out above all from factories of furniture and joinery.

On the other hand, managed timber of pruning and parks and gardens has grown exponentially in these three years. Draws particular attention to the large rise in the management of pruning.

In the same way that analysis of the origins of materials, you can check that targets related to the chain of wood and furniture industry have fallen progressively year after year, currently being its percentage in 51%.

Aserma managers remember that the entity already "predicted in 2007 the greatest variety of types of managed timber materials, which would bring a greater diversity in consumption." "Thus grew the most destinations, but above all use thermal, representing today more than 27% in overall numbers".

The entity was confident that the new Plan for renewable energy and the waste Act, "they will help, hopefully, to solve these problems and promote greater mobilization, quality and all uses of the materials".

About Aserma

The Spanish Association of managers of biomass from wood Recuperadas (Aserma) was created in 1999 by the concern of a group of businessmen in order to defend and work towards the management of waste, by-products and wood productslooking for the optimal output to them.

Aserma currently advising companies on all innovations in the sector, and is point of Union of managers and logistics of wood biomass recovered from all Spain.