The treated wood industry in transition What it means to you

THE wood preserving industry faces an evolution of I. historic proportions over the next eight to 20 months as chemical suppliers, wood treaters, supply chain buyers and consumers scramble to understand and prepare for recent and looming regulatory events.

California producers and dealers of CCA and ACZA treated wood products should be especially alert to impending regulatory actions so that they can oppose current legislation and ensure that if the legislation passes, they don't get caught unprepared.

While one can argue what precipitated these events, negative media reports on CCA brought attention to a "great" media story. Hardly a reporter or television news

By Elaina Jackson, c.e.o., and Richard Jackson, president Pacific Wood Preserving Cos. Bakersfield. Ca.

producer in the country could resist the imagery of young children frolicking on supposedly dangerous playground equipment. Provocative and often inaccurate scientific information fueled the media fires.

Some of the most significant recent changes or proposed changes on the regulatory front include the following:

. On February 12, 2002, the Environmental Protection Agency announced that CCA chemical manufacturers intended to amend their labels to prohibit wood treaters from producing treated wood for residential use by December 31, 2003. Notification of this change was published in the Federal Register February 22,2002. ACZA was not included in this action. (For more information, see "EPA Decision" sidebar on next page.)

. On February 13,2002, California State Senator Gloria Romero introduced a bill into the California State lesislature that would effectively ban the manufacturle, distribution, sale and use of wood with any arsenicalbased wood preservative for any purpose within the state of California effective as early as January l, 2003. Furthermore, Romero's bill would desienate such wood currently in use as a hazardous *-aste. Every California CCA or ACZA treated wood producer, wholesaler, distributor, retailer and consumer should pay attention to this important and costly legislation. Industry insiders believe that this bill has a reasonable chance to pass, although likely in an amended form. (See "Calfornia Bill" sidebar on page 52.)

On February 15,2002, Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) introduced legislarion inro rhe U.S. Senare (S. 1963) ro prohibit use of wood products treated with CCA effective one year from date of enactment. The leeislation also provides for stronger requirements for thi disposal of CCA-treated lumber than now exist in federal law. In particular, discarded CCA lumber would have to be disposed of in lined landfills that have a leachate system and groundwater monitoring. Industry insiders believe this bill will not pass, although it .,has legs', and will not go away quickly. (See "U.5. Senate Bill" sidebar on page 53.)

Approximately 6.75 billion bd. ft. of treated wood is used in the U.S. each year. Approximately 907o or 6 billion bd. ft. of the treated wood manufactured annually in the U.S. today is preserved with CCA, and about 75% of this wood is used for residential purposes. California uses

EPA Decision

What Effectively, the EPA decision limits the manulacture of CCA treated wood to only industrial purposes afier December 31 , 2003. To read a copy of the lederal register, go to www.epa.gov and choose federal register. The notice was filed February 22, 2002.

Allowed uses for the manufacture of CCA treated wood after December 31. 2003: From the 2001 AWPA Standards: Lumber and Tlmber tor Salt Water Use Only (C2); Pites (C3); potes (C4); ptywood (C9); Wood for Highway Construction (C14); potes, piles and posts Used as Structural Members on Fanns, and Plywood Used on Farms (C16), Wood for Marine Construction (C18); Round potes and posts used in Building Construction (C23); Sawn Timber Used to Support Residential and Commercial Structures (C24); Sawn Crossarms (C25); Structural Glued Laminated Members and Laminations Before Gluing (C28); Structural Composite Lumber (CO3), and Shakes and Shingles (C34). Forest products treated with this product may only be sold or distributed for uses within the AWpA Commodity Siandirds under which the treatment occurred.

What uses of CcA-treated wood are atfected by this transition? After December 31, 2003, wood treaters will no longer be able to use CCA to treat wood intended for use in decks, picnic tables, landscaping timbers, gazebos, residential fencing, patios, walkways/boardwalks, and play structures. Wood treated prior to this date, however, can still be sold or used in residential settings. Already built structures containing C0A-treated wood are not afiected by this actlon.

approximately 300 million bd. ft. of CCA (about gOVo) and ACZA (about 10Va) treated wood producrs annually, according to recent data collected by the Western Wood Preservers Institute.

(Please turn to page 52)