Recommendations for the Design and Operation of Wood Preservation Facilities

Wood exposed in outdoor situations is subject to degradation by various organisms, including fungi, insects and marine borers. The impregnation of wood with preservative chemicals retards or prevents its destruction by these agents. By design, such preservative chemicals must be toxic to the target organisms. However, their use may also impact on non-target biota and the environment, unless proper safeguards are taken. Not unlike many other industrial activities using chemicals, their proper handling is required to prevent hazards in the workplace, during transportation and storage as well as emissions from the process and the treated product.

The current document is meant to provide necessary information on the physico-chemical properties of the industrial wood preservatives and contains design and operational measures to enable safe operations in wood preservation facilities in terms of worker exposure and health risks as well as environmental impact.

It is separated in two major sections: "General Background Information and Recommendations for Wood Preservation Facilities" and "Preservative Specific Background Information and Recommendations for Wood Preservation Facilities". The general section contains recommendations applicable to all currently used preservative chemicals. Specific recommendations are made for individual preservatives. These are supplementary to those made in the general section and must be used in conjunction with them. The Appendix contains information on the applicable legislation, toxicology and environmental issues.

Prepared by
G.E. Brudermann
FRIDO CONSULTING

for
Environment Canada
National Office of Pollution Prevention
and
Canadian Institute of Treated Wood

March 1999

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