Burning Copper Azole Treated Wood

Material safety information copper azole treated wood products page.

Burning copper azole treated wood.

More copper makes the wood more expensive. Why pressure treated wood is not safe to burn. Never burn treated wood. Follow the safe practices listed below when working with pressure treated wood.

Chips sawdust and debris from treated wood are considered hazardous waste and should not be burned or disposed of at any location other than those specified by local government agencies. As with any fungicide treated materials the lumber should be handled with gloves as well as a dust mask when sawing sanding or machining the lumber. Pressure treated wood however avoids these problems by exposing the wood to pressurized chemicals that deters insects and prevents decay. 3 of 4 date of issue.

It is a fungicide and insecticide. On january 1 2004 the wood industry throughout north america has ceased to produce pressure treated wood treated with cca chrome copper and arsenic for residential use replacing this chemical with what is generically called non arsenic treatments primarily acq and copper azole ca both of which contains no arsenic but much more copper. Water based preservatives like copper azole leave wood with a clean paintable surface after they dry. Copper azole is a registered fungicide for treatment of wood.

The active ingredients commonly used in treated wood are alkaline copper quaternary acq copper azole ca or micronized copper azole mca. Copper azole treatments contain copper boric acid and tebuconazole type b does not contain boric acid. Pressure treated wood has gone through a process that uses high pressure to force a solution of water and preservative agents deep into the lumber to help extend its useful lifespan. Copper azole and alkaline copper quaternary treatments both contain a fungicide.

Because acq and copper azole contain so much more copper you can expect to pay from 15 to 35 more than you paid for cca lumber. Micronized copper azole penetrates into and remains in pressure treated wood for a long time. Copper azole is a water based wood preservative that prevents fungal decay and insect attack. In 2013 a different technology micropro.

Ca is a water based preservative that can be cleaned and painted. The copper deters insects and the fungicide prevents soil rotting the lumber. To make the new preservatives effective their copper content has been boosted substantially from around 18 to 96 in some cases. It may look the same as traditional wood giving you a false of sense of security but pressure treated wood is not safe to burn.

However some preservative may migrate from the pressure treated wood into surrounding soil over time and there may be incidental contact with skin during construction or use. It is widely used throughout the united states and canada.