How to Heat Treat Pine Shavings

Heat treat pine shavings to eliminate most of the toxic aromatic hydrocarbons, called phenols, which pine naturally gives off. Phenols cause a strong odor and can lead to respiratory illnesses such as asthma, particularly in small animals. Treat pine shavings used as animal bedding to extend the life of the bedding and to reduce its harmful effects. Adhere to the regulations set out on a national level which restrict the minimum temperature of the heat treatment process.

Things You'll Need

  • Goggles
  • Face mask
  • Heat-resistant gloves
  • High-temperature auger with built-in thermometer
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Instructions

    • 1

      Autoclave the pine shavings by subjecting them to pressure and heat in an enclosed auger system. Aim for a temperature of between 180 and 230 degrees Celsius for non-bedding pine shavings.

    • 2

      Heat pine shavings that will be specifically used as animal bedding in a two-stage process. First, you must allow the shavings to reach 95 degrees Celsius, then 220 degrees Celsius in an enclosed auger system, according to PJBS.

    • 3

      Adhere to national heat treatment standards and guidelines. For example, Canadian regulations use a quality system to certify heat-treated products which may be exported to other countries. Consider carefully the heat treatment facilities you have available to you and the chamber operating temperatures you can achieve safely. There are well-defined guidelines for heat-treating trees. Aim to achieve a minimum temperature of 56 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes if you wish to package and transport the pine shavings, as explained by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

    • 4

      Introduce nitrogen or water vapor to control the drying procedure. The process should take no longer than 48 hours to complete.

    • 5

      Test the improvements made to heat-treated pine shavings using an energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence machine, if you can access the technology. Oxford Instruments provides a flexible, fast solution for wood treatment analysis and support, particularly in the field of shavings and sawdust analysis.