The amounts of treated wood present at a wood recycling center in western Oregon were surveyed over a 10-year period. Treated wood was found at 106 of 112 inspections, but the levels never exceeded 2 percent of the volume present. The amount of treated wood averaged 0.15 percent of the total volume over the 10 years. These values were considerably lower than those found in surveys in Virginia and Florida, reflecting a lower overall use of treated wood and, with respect to Florida, a lower risk of decay in Oregon. The results indicate that treated wood is a minor component in the recycling stream studied and does not pose a risk to those using the material.
Contributor Notes
The author is Professor, Dept. of Wood Sci. and Engineering, Oregon State Univ., Corvallis (Jeff.morrell@oregonstate.edu). This paper was received for publication in November 2009. Article no. 10705.