what to do with scrap pressure treated wood
Despite being illegal, many people burn CCA treated woods and the results are bad for your health
No dubiety, you've heard the rumblings of using pressure treated forest, non only for raised garden beds but for play sets, decking, picnic tables, and more. The concerns are valid leading to its withdrawal from the market place in 2004 and safer alternatives. From changes in the chemicals used to treat wood to more rot resistant, natural choices and even mail service-consumer recycled products, eco-friendly gardeners have plenty of choices these days. Yet chances are pretty practiced that you have at least some of this wood somewhere in your one thousand or garden right now.
All the hype came near when lumber was impregnated with chromated copper arsenate. You know it as "CCA". It was to exist the reply for anyone needing an inexpensive choice for long-lasting, rot-resistant lumber. It was readily bachelor and touted as safe, even though the wood was treated with chemicals that were all toxic (chromium, copper and arsenic).
Pressure treated (CCA) lumber has plenty toxic chemicals to qualify as a chancy waste matter. It's difficult to believe just just 1 12 foot long two×6 piece of CCA lumber contains enough arsenic (one ounce) to kill over 200 people. Only what'southward fifty-fifty more unbelievable is that industry lobbyist in Washington, D.C secured an exemption of CCA treated forest from hazardous waste disposal laws.
Armed with that interesting tidbit of information, information technology is not surprising and so to find that the EPA doesn't offer much assistance when it comes to specific assist regarding the safe disposal of CCA lumber. In fact, disposal information is but one judgement: "CCA treated woods can be disposed of with regular municipal trash (i.east., municipal solid waste, not one thousand waste)." That may exist alright with yous only that's no comfort to me when you learn that the U.S. Section of Energy projects over 400 1000000 board feet of it volition be disposed of past 2016. And I'g allowed to just haul my old CCA wood to the dump and walk abroad. Wow!
Although it is illegal to incinerate CCA treated wood in all fifty states, information technology is often burned past individuals every bit fleck firewood, in campsites and structure sites, all the while releasing highly toxic chemicals into the air. Furthermore, the resulting ashes contain potentially fatal levels of arsenic that tin hands exist inhaled. And so there are a few overly resourceful recyclers that cull to grind up CCA lumber as mulch and then sell it to us and so we tin put it dorsum into or gardens and around our food crops. This is a very bad thought!
Even placing discarded CCA lumber into unlined landfills where information technology leaches into the earth and can be potentially carried into ground water is alarming, as are the rest of the examples cited to a higher place. Unfortunately, all these methods of disposal and more than are implemented every solar day.
Landfills that accept protective liners are currently the most eco-friendly way to dispose of treated woods. Liners prevent possible seeping of contaminants into ground water and provide a much safer disposal method than disposal into unlined landfills.
New ways of safely disposing of CCA treated lumber are being explored effectually the globe. Incineration methods are in various stages of development that may anytime provide another option for disposing of CCA woods in a condom and viable manner.
It seems surprising that in spite of the abundance or CCA treated woods in beingness, there are not more than options for disposing of it safely. You may have better luck by checking with your local authorities or municipal authorities. They may offer additional disposal resources or provide data and restrictions on disposing of CCA treated woods in your customs.
I recognize that I oasis't offered you much in the manner of specific suggestions for the safest and virtually environmentally friendly disposal methods of CCA treated woods. And that'due south simply because today, there aren't many. But I promise that past at to the lowest degree reading this article, yous are more aware of the potential bug of disposing of it improperly, and at least that's a start.
About
Joe Lamp'l is the Host and Executive Producer of the award winning PBS idiot box series Growing A Greener Earth. Off camera, Joe dedicates his time to promoting sustainability through his popular books, blog, podcast serial, and nationally syndicated newspaper columns. Follow Joe on Twitter
Source: https://www.growingagreenerworld.com/dispose-of-pressure-treated-lumber-properly/
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