About Treated Wood

Last Updated December 18th, 2020

Treated wood is designed to protect against deterioration. Wood preservatives extend the useful life of wood products by penetrating and remaining in the wood, thereby neutralizing it as a food supply for decay, fungi and wood destroying insects.

Common types of treated wood:

Pressure treatment is a process that forces chemical preservatives into the wood. Wood is placed inside a closed cylinder, then vacuum and pressure are applied to force the preservatives into the wood cells in a pressurized cylinder. The preservatives help protect the wood.

There are five wood preservatives currently registered with Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) & Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for treated wood in residential uses:

  1. Alkaline Copper Quaternary (ACQ)
  2. Copper Azole (CA)
  3. Micronized Copper Azole (MCA)
  4. Didecyl Dimenthyl Ammonium Carbonate (DDAC)
  5. Disodium Octaborate Tetrahydrate (DOT or SBX) - Borates

There are four different preservatives are registered with the PMRA & EPA for industrial / commercial / agricultural uses:

  1. Chromated Copper Arsenate (CCA)
  2. Creosote (Cr)
  3. Pentachlorophenol (PCP)
  4. Ammoniacal Copper Zinc Arsenate (ACZA)
  5. Copper Naphthenate (CuNap)

Options for Reuse:  

Parks, farms and residential landscaping often can utilize recycled preserved wood for projects that are exposed in the outdoors. 

Preserved wood should not be burned in open fires or in stoves, fireplaces or residential boilers because hazardous chemicals may be produced as part of the smoke and ashes. Preserved wood from commercial or industrial use (i.e. construction sites) may be burned only in commercial or industrial incinerators or boilers in accordance with regulations.

Preserved wood can be used in an industrial biofuel burner, if it is a permitted facility that can meet air quality standards. It is considered biomass and may be eligible for renewable energy credits.

As a last resort, send it to a landfill. Preserved wood is not considered hazardous waste and can be disposed of normally into an approved landfill.

Additional Outside Resources:  

Treated Wood Council

Wood Preservation Canada

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