Disposing of ACQ Treated Wood

ACQ (alkaline copper quaternary) treated lumber has supplanted other types of treated wood for construction use and homeowner projects since it is much safer than previous types of treated lumber. It has grown in popularity over the last decade as a much safer alternative to the arsenic-treated CCA (chromated copper arsenate) treated lumber, which is treated with highly toxic chemicals. Although ACQ treated lumber does not have the arsenic and chromium of CCA treated wood, it should still be disposed of in the safest possible way to eliminate any chemicals leaching into soil or water.

Things You'll Need

• Goggles
• Saw
• Soap
• Washing machine
• Vehicle
• Landfill

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Instructions

• 1

  Avoid disposing of ACQ treated wood where it will contact food or water reserves for humans or animals. Keep it from drinking water supplies, gardening areas and even beehives.

• 2

  Prevent treated lumber from going into a compost. Even sawdust, wood chips and small scraps left over from a project should be kept out of the compost.

• 3

  Protect yourself if you need to cut treated wood into smaller pieces before disposing it or transporting it for disposal. Wear goggles and wash your skin and clothes free of sawdust. Separate the clothes that have sawdust from the wood from the rest of the laundry.

• 4

  Refrain from burning treated wood to dispose of it. Large-scale wood burning centers may have special facilities that allow them to burn treated lumber safely.

• 5

  Transport treated wood leftover from homeowner projects to the landfill and put in a section designated for treated wood. Large amounts of treated wood from large-scale projects should go to a landfill outfitted to handle big loads of treated lumber.