By the end of April 2007, Duraflame, Inc. will no longer use petroleum wax in the production of its duraflame brand firelogs. After over 30 years in business, the company is going all-natural by making the switch to non-petroleum waxes. As North America’s firelog brand leader, using bio wax represents a significant change in the more than $250 million industry.
This decision was spurred by the rising costs and declining quality of petroleum wax available to the company. Duraflame decided to take action before volatile conditions in the petroleum markets negatively impacted the company’s reputation for industry-leading quality.
In recent years, the company’s R&D team had been testing new blends of “bio-wax” materials made from renewable resources. Tests showed the environmentally responsible waxes burned more vigorously and yet produced fewer emissions.
The switch to bio waxes also provides the added benefit of reducing the company’s carbon footprint. As a result of the product formulation change, Duraflame will dramatically reduce its use of non-renewable fossil fuels.
New studies from Omni Environmental Laboratories of Beaverton, OR also show that the company’s firelogs emit 70 percent less CO2 than burning an equivalent wood fire, and over 80 percent fewer green house gas emissions than use of a natural gas log set in a fireplace.
An early claim of the company was, “no tree has ever been cut down to make a Duraflame firelog.” That claim still holds true today. In fact, Duraflame, Inc. recycles 50,000 tons of commercial wood waste and agricultural bio-mass in the production of its firelogs each year. The logs are also resource efficient because 80 percent less material is burned during a 3-4 hour Duraflame fire than with firewood. The company estimates burning its firelogs saves 1.2 million trees each year from use as firewood.
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