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Treated Use, Disposal, and Alternatives for Consumers

Waste/Household Hazardous Waste #4.75 • July 2009

reating wood with chemical These alternatives are made with less-toxic preservatives or pesticides lengthens materials. Wherever possible, consider T its useful and conserves , alternatives to treated wood, listed at the but some of the chemicals used in treating end of this fact sheet. For more information wood are toxic to people and the please visit environment. To reduce adverse health and http://www.epa.gov/oppad001/reregistration/c environmental impacts, be sure to select, ca/pressuretreatedwood_alternatives.htm use, and dispose of treated wood products Other preservatives to avoid because safely and appropriately. of the danger from skin, inhalation, and oral exposure: Chromated copper arsenate • Pentachlorophenol (PCP or “penta”) is (CCA) typically used for telephone poles and becoming less popular as a wood The pressure-treated preservative. voluntarily discontinued the use of • chromated copper arsenate (CCA) as the Creosote, a -like substance, is used primary wood preservative used for most for railroad ties and residential and general consumer pilings. construction. Federal and Minnesota Federal guidelines recommend not using Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) penta- and creosote-treated wood for guidelines recommend that any stockpiled structural uses inside homes, on decks, or CCA-treated wood not be used inside in playground equipment. homes, on decks, or in playground equipment. Selecting and using treated wood There are now several arsenic-free wood pressure treatment alternatives to CCA for Before buying or using treated wood, sale, including: consider these factors: Will it be used indoors or outdoors? Will it come into • Ammoniacal copper quaternary (ACQ) direct contact with people or animals? Will http://www.epa.gov/oppad001/reregistration/ cca/acq.htm it come into contact with any drinking • Borates , lakes, streams, or ? Is http://www.epa.gov/oppad001/reregistration/ there a less-toxic or nontoxic alternative to cca/borates.htm treated wood? • Copper azole • The U.S. Environmental Protection http://www.epa.gov/oppad001/reregistration/ cca/copperazole.htm Agency and the wood-treating industry • Cyproconazole have established federal guidelines on http://www.epa.gov/oppad001/reregistration/ using treated wood. These Consumer cca/cyproconazole.htm Information Sheets are available from • Propiconazole suppliers. Ask for them when http://www.epa.gov/oppad001/reregistration/ you purchase your lumber. cca/propiconazole.htm w-hhw4-75

Minnesota Pollution Control Agency • 520 Lafayette Rd. N., St. Paul, MN 55155-4194 • www.pca.state.mn.us 651-296-6300 • 800-657-3864 • TTY 651-282-5332 or 800-657-3864 • Available in alternative formats

Selecting wood for projects Never burn treated wood • Treated wood can be used for docks, bridge Treated wood should never be burned in wood stoves, supports, underground construction pilings, and , or recreational or cooking . Open burning other structural purposes where it comes into contact of treated wood is prohibited by state law (Minn. Stat. § with surface or ground water. However, other less- 88.171). The particulate matter and toxic gases released toxic alternatives are available for some of these during burning can cause eye and nose irritation, purposes. breathing difficulty, coughing, and headaches. People • CCA-treated wood should never be used or with heart disease, asthma, emphysema, or other “recycled” as , compost, or any other product respiratory diseases are especially sensitive to air that may become a component of or animal pollutants. The chance of human health impacts depends feed. Do not use treated wood for cutting boards, mostly on the concentration of air pollutants in people’s counter tops, animal , borders for food breathing zone (the air that’s breathed around the nose gardens, and structures or for storing and mouth). animal feed or human food. The toxic chemicals released during burning include • Only treated wood that is visibly clean and free of nitrogen oxides, dioxide, volatile organic surface residue should be used for patios, decks, and chemicals, and polycyclic . Burning walkways. treated wood also releases heavy metals and toxic chemicals such as dioxin. • Do not use treated wood for construction of those portions of beehives which may come into contact with honey. Dispose of treated wood properly • Treated wood should not be used where it may come In many areas, CCA-treated wood can be disposed of into direct or indirect contact with . with regular municipal trash (but not yard waste). Some trash haulers have special requirements for treated wood Tips for working with treated wood pickup, or may not accept it. Contact your county • Use the smallest amount of treated wooded needed waste office for information on how to dispose of CCA- and make the fewest possible cuts to reduce wood treated wood in your area. Disposal in demolition waste. landfills is prohibited. • All and construction debris should be cleaned up and disposed of after construction. Avoid treating existing wood structures • Avoid frequent or prolonged inhalation of sawdust Self treating wood structures with a preservative is not from treated wood. When sawing, sanding, and effective, so the MPCA strongly discourages this treated wood, wear a dust mask. practice. However, coatings to protect wood, such as Whenever possible, work outdoors to avoid indoor stains, and water sealants (which are not true accumulations or airborne sawdust from treated wood preservatives) can be applied after wood is already wood. in place. Even these coatings should be applied with care to prevent spills and leaks, which can cause • When power-sawing and machining, wear goggles contamination. Precautions include removing docks to protect eyes from flying particles. from the water before applying a coating, or using drop • Wear gloves when working with the wood. cloths and catch basins when possible. • After working with the wood, and before eating, drinking, toileting, and use of tobacco products, wash exposed areas thoroughly. • Because preservatives or sawdust may accumulate on clothes, they should be laundered before reuse. Wash work clothes separately from other household clothing.

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Alternatives to treated wood lumber is usually made with high- polyethylene (HDPE) plastic , and does not leach toxic chemicals into the or water the way treated lumber does.

• Metal and plastic dock or materials can be used in place of treated wood. • Untreated cedar for the portions of and playground equipment that people frequently touch or use. • blocks for gardening and landscaping. • pilings filled with in place of creosote-treated underground construction pilings. • Wood treated with less toxic preservatives, such as ACQ, copper azole, and cal copper citrate.

Recycled products directory: (scroll down to Construction: plastic lumber) http://www.pca.state.mn.us/oea/rpdir/index.cfm Plastic lumber guide: http://www.rethinkrecycling.com/government/eppg/- buy-products-services/exterior-building-products

For more information Contact your county solid office. http://www.pca.state.mn.us/oea/lc/county.cfm Or contact the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency at 651-296-6300 or 800-657-3864; TTY: 651-282-5332. Regional offices: 800-657-3864; http://www.pca.state.mn.us/waste/hhw/index.html

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