Changes Ahead For Disposing Of Treated Wood

wood deck

Calaveras County, CA — Just remodeled a deck and ready to haul the treated wood to the dump, come next year there will be a limit on how much and fewer waste facility options.

Treated Wood Waste (TWW) is wood that has been treated with chemical preservatives to protect against insects and fungal decay. Beginning the first of the year, a new California statute orders “all hazardous treated wood waste (not exempted by HSC 25143.1.5 as utility generated) managed in California will have to be stored and manifested as hazardous waste and transported to class I hazardous waste landfills for disposal.”

Calaveras County officials relay that change will impact its operations with the Rock Creek Landfill only accept a ½ cubic yard of residentially generated TWW per resident, per calendar year.

County officials provide these guidelines for disposal:

• TWW cannot be accepted at any of the county’s satellite waste transfer stations.
• No TWW will be accepted from commercial and/or business generators.

***Further details on the statute, TWW and its disposal can be viewed by clicking here.

TWW includes but is not limited to:

• Fence Posts
• Sill Plates
• Landscape Timbers
• Pilings
• Decking
• Patio Posts
• Railroad Ties
• Lumber used in-ground to define lawn and garden areas, etc.

Identifiers of TWW may be an ink stamp on the wood or an end tag; or small, closely spaced cuts that resemble staple marks on the surface of the wood.

It is recommended that residents call local waste facilities to find out whether they take TWW after Jan. 1, 2021.