"The pressure treating process extends the service life of wood from three to 10 times longer than untreated wood," Walthert explains. "There are utility poles, and trestle bridges across Canada that have been in service for more than 80 years." In addition to utility poles and bridges, pressure treated wood is used for highway guard rails, railway ties and treated wood products destined for consumer use.

CITW believes it is important that Canadians understand the many environmental and economic benefits inherent in pressure treated wood.

While wood from some species of trees naturally lasts longer than others, all wood eventually succumbs to the elements and living enemies. Insects, fungi and other microorganisms feed and live on the wood causing it to decay. Wood that is in direct contact with the ground and/or water is especially susceptible to these conditions. But the process of pressure treating wood helps protect it from these destructive elements, extending its service life significantly.

The treatment process involves forcing stable and leach resistant preservatives deep into the wood cells where they remain for decades to protect the wood and ensure its structural integrity.

Equally important is the fact that the treating process doesn't alter the wood's essential characteristics - it continues to look and feel good for decades. Treated wood maintains its structural integrity longer. It is no more susceptible to natural phenomenons such as shrinking, swelling, splitting or warping than untreated wood. It simply is more durable and lasts longer.

To a homeowner planning a home improvement project, the benefits are considerable. "For example," says CITW's Walthert, "take an average backyard deck, that might call for wood from two or three trees to begin with. If you use untreated wood you will likely replace all or part of your deck every few years. On the other hand, if you're using pressure treated wood to build the deck, it could last up to 50 years."

Another advantage is the fact that while treated wood can be stained or painted to match any colour, if it's left alone, it will turn to a natural-weathered, rich, warm, grey colour. Imagine never having to paint, stain or waterproof your outdoor wood projects again!

To help inform people about the environmental and practical benefits of treated wood, the CITW launched a program called Treated Wood Saves Trees several years ago. Amongst its goals is the establishment of firm environmental guidelines for CITW members and free information for Canadians concerning the benefits and issues related to using pressure treated wood products.

The Institute works with government agencies to promote health and safety standards. To that end, the CITW makes a wide variety of informational literature concerning treated wood issues available to the public free of charge. This includes a useful brochure that addresses issues of health, safety and the environment.

CITW is an association of pressure treated wood manufacturers and suppliers representing the treated wood industry across Canada. Its 43 members nationwide represent more than 70% of Canadian production and include all suppliers committed to the principles of environmental protection and quality production upon which the Institute is based.

Treating nearly one-seventh of Canada's lumber production, and virtually 100% of Canada's pole production, the industry prolongs the service life of the wood by up to ten times, saving 66 million trees each year. The association cooperates with university testing laboratories and research facilities and also carries out research through independent organizations involved in forest products. It is committed to sustainable development of global forests.

For further information contact:
The Canadian Institute of Treated Wood - Henry Walthert, Executive Director
1-800-463-TREE or by email citw@citw.org .

BACK TO TOP

Treated Wood Makes Environmental, Economic Sense

The use of pressure treated wood products provides Canadians with significant environmental and economic benefits.

Using treated wood saves a forest the size of our smallest province each year and creates more than $3 billion in savings for the utility and transportation industries.

While current information indicates the environmental risks are negligible there are considerable environmental and economic advantages supporting the use of pressure treated wood. The economics are relatively easy to calculate.

A residential deck built with untreated jack pine has an average life of five to 10 years compared with a pressure treated jack pine deck which lasts up to 50 years. The material replacement costs alone, without considering labour, make pressure treated wood an obvious choice," Prendiville said.

In industrial applications, pressure treated wood makes a significant contribution towards environmental protection while providing substantive costs savings to business and society in general. Treated wood products are used for utility poles, highway retaining barriers, docks, bridges and railway ties. All of these products are considerably less expensive than alternatives. Since most of these uses involve public service organizations, such as power, telephone, cable television companies and railways, these substantive savings work to keep costs down so that everyone benefits from the relatively low costs and long life span of pressure treated wood products.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, in a 1984 study, estimated the economics of substituting other materials for treated wood. They found the cost of converting all wood railway ties to concrete ties were $3.7 billion for the first year, and $2.4 billion per year thereafter. Substitution of treated wood poles for concrete or steel poles would cost an additional $1.3 to $2.3 billion per year.

While environmental costs over the entire life cycle of a material, are much more difficult to determine, a 1992 Swedish study looked at some of the environmental consequences of using creosote-treated wood, concrete, steel or aluminum poles.

The study showed steel produces 3.5 times the amount of CO2, 5 times more SO2 and uses 16 times more water than wood for an equivalent function. Aluminum and concrete poles created even more pollution than steel during their manufacture. During steel production, amounts of lead, chromium, zinc, cadmium and copper are released into the atmosphere.

Total energy requirements were estimated for raw material extraction, processing, construction and transport for equivalent amounts of steel, concrete and treated wood. The total energy requirements were 7.5 times higher for steel, and 6 times higher for concrete than treated wood.

CITW is organizing a co-operative third party life cycle analysis of treated wood and alternate materials in order to provide conclusive environmental comparisons to support industry's position that treated wood is the most economical and environmentally beneficial material for most outdoor applications.

For further information contact:
The Canadian Institute of Treated Wood -
Henry Walthert, Executive Director 1-800-463-TREE or by email citw@citw.org

BACK TO TOP

Studies show treated wood poses no health threat

Numerous independent studies, including those commissioned by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) conclude CCA pressure treated wood poses no health threat to consumers.

The EPA findings support extensive studies conducted both in Canada and the U.S. by various individual researchers and organizations to assess the risk and incidence of dislodgeability. The evidence collected on the commercially-available treatments using CCA (chromated copper arsenate) as well as ACA (ammoniacal copper arsenate) show no health hazards, even with exaggerated contact with the wood. In a study, using samples with even the highest dislodgeability values, the risk of skin cancer from CCA was judged to be 9 in 1 million. General risk of skin cancer from the sun and other sources is 8600 in 1 million, some 950 times higher than any risk from treated wood.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency states that dermal absorption of compounds from treated wood or from sawdust is negligible. End-users need not wear gloves when handling CCA treated wood, due to the negligible dermal absorption.

The studies conclude risks of these preservatives becoming dislodged from pressure treated wood are minimal because preservatives bond chemically to the wood fibres.

"Fixation, (the process where preservatives are chemically bonded to the wood fibres) occurs naturally and must be complete before treated wood is made available for use," said Henry Walthert, Executive Director of the Canadian Institute of Treated Wood. "Depending on post-treatment weather conditions, total CCA fixation can occur in a few hours at high temperatures, or may take several weeks in cold winter temperatures." Walthert said the amount of preservative dislodging from pressure treated wood declines dramatically in the first 48 hours after treatment. With complete fixation, incidence of dislodging ranges from minimal to none.

The process of pressure treating wood to extend its service life involves the use of the chemicals which act as highly effective preservatives. These include copper chromated arsenate (CCA), for the treatment of consumer and industrial products, and ammoniacal copper arsenate (ACA), pentachlorophenol and creosote, which are reserved for industrial applications. The preservative nature of the chemical, along with the pressure treatment, results in long-term protection from insects, fungi and other microorganisms that destroy wood.

Pentachlorophenol and creosote are restricted for use in commercial and industrial applications, such as utility poles, railway ties, bridges and highway guard rails. Wood treated with these preservatives should be not be used where it may be in frequent or prolonged contact with bare skin.

Treating nearly one-seventh of Canada's lumber production, and virtually 100% of Canada's pole production, the industry prolongs the service life of the wood by up to ten times, saving an estimated 66 million trees each year. The association cooperates with university testing laboratories and research facilities and also carries out research through independent organizations involved in forest products. It is committed to sustainable development of global forests.

For further information contact:
The Canadian Institute of Treated Wood - Henry Walthert, Executive Director
1-800-463-TREE or by email citw@citw.org

BACK TO TOP

If you have any related links or articles to add, e-mail Webmaster

LINKS ARTICLES CONTACT US FENCING UTILITY POLES BRIDGES HOME

TRANS CANADA UTILITY POLE CO. LTD. 1 (800) 461-5630
TRANS CANADA WOOD PRODUCTS LTD. 1 (800) 208-0054
7735 Hwy 27, RR2, Thorton, Ontario L0L 2N0

THIS SITE WAS CREATED BY CADDGRAPHICS