How to identify old CCA wood?

[tjkadar]

My job is to assess superfund sites. You don't need to worry about a pile of CCA treated wood. It isn't going to cause an environmental catastrophe.

Don't burn it in your fireplace. If you do choose to burn it outside (not that I am advocating such a solution), make sure you have your appropiate burn permits for your location and avoid breathing the smoke. Even without CCA, breathing smoke just isn't a good idea.

 

[Soundguy]

The superfund comment was a joke... However he needs to watch out for 'complaining' neighbors.

Where i live.. if your burn pile smokes.. and a neighbor complains.. burn authorization or not.. the fire dept comes out and will cit you if they see fence material... post or board..( or plastic ).

Soundguy

 

[HappyCPE]

I accept the humorous spirit in which the "Superfund" comment was made, but in New Jersey, that's just not funny!

The problem with burning is that there are lots of people around here who stick their nose into your affairs. Even if I can get a permit, I shouldn't be releasing the compounds in the air and then what do I do with the ash? It goes in a dumpster.... which it looks like it is going to go anyway. Thirty yarders cost about $700 'round here.

Unless someone in Texas wants to drive up here - I'll take y'all to the Badda-Bing....

 

[Cowboyjg]

Hey Happy,

Ya know, you might just want to give that ad in the fishwrap a try before you plunk down $700 or so. You might be surprised, and pleasently so.

 

[HappyCPE]

Yes, they call it the "Treasure Hunt," might be worth ten bucks.
Actually, they have implements and old tractors in there. You got me thinkin!

 

[Nik]

I recall reading articles in This OLD House that seemed to indicate that burning CCA wood was not a good idea. They mentioned that you wind up concentrating the arsenic even more in the ash. There was a report of a family that developed arsenic poisoning from burning CCA wood in their woodstove. This was just from the ash dust settling in their house. There was another report of cows that had been poisoned to death after licking ashes from a CCA burn pile. The issue was from March/April 1998.

I would pay to have the old CCA lumber hauled to a dump and not take any chances. They thought asbestos was safe and was used ubiquitously in many buildings and houses.

 

[mudcat]

I fenced my property with cca treated post and boards last year. Bought at a local hardware store. I wouldn't worry about it leaching into the ground. I definately wouldn't burn it. I also would not pay $700 to get rid of it. I see adds in various papers for free or cheap used fence boards and post all the time. It is worth a shot. If you don't get any bites, go buy a cheap trailer $200 or less, pile it up on it. Then place an add "free trailer ,loaded with debris, haul it off and it is yours." Good luck !

 

[jand38]

The trailer idea was best or you may just make nice stacks where it is easly to get to and put for sale signs up and people will steal it and your problem is solved.

 

[bugstruck]

My job is to assess superfund sites. You don't need to worry about a pile of CCA treated wood. It isn't going to cause an environmental catastrophe.

Don't burn it in your fireplace. If you do choose to burn it outside (not that I am advocating such a solution), make sure you have your appropiate burn permits for your location and avoid breathing the smoke. Even without CCA, breathing smoke just isn't a good idea.

Exactly. If he's worried about the ash residue, bag it up with a good respirator and send it to the landfill. That's not that much material. Maybe a couple gallons of ash. Unbelievable how something in such prevalent use can all of a sudden be this big a deal. I can't tell you how many thousands of feet of that stuff I handled with no protection before anyone said it's problematic. Never had a problem. I'd move right from handling it to eating lunch many days. Many of us did. Not reccommending it now but that's how we did it. Asbestos was a bigger deal initially than it is now.