Western Wood Preservers Institute Represents preservative treated - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Western Wood Preservers Institute • Represents preservative treated wood producers, chemical manufacturers and others serving the industry throughout western North America • Mission Increase awareness of the proper use of preserved wood products by providing information to: • Homeowners • Bldg. Material Dealers • Builders • Code Officials • Architects, Specifiers • Ports and Marinas

Overview • Advantages and challenges with materials • Regulatory update • How WWPI can help • Toolkit for Using Preserved Wood

Continuity of Wood • Stave Church, Borgund, Norway • Completed in 1180 • Modern engineering to protect the wood and lengthen the life of the structure

Wood’s Many Advantages Proven Natural appearance • • Economical Rugged handling • • Long-lasting On-site modification • • Strong, durable, resilient Renewable • • Availability in Less energy intensive • • emergencies Carbon storage • Domestically ̶ • Minimal on-site waste • often locally ̶ produced

Remember: All materials have enemies • Concrete • Steel • Wood • Auger cast piles

Wood Durability Challenges • Carpenter ants • Wood boring beetles • Marine borers • Termites • Decay, fungi, rot • Fire

Concrete Issues • Spalling • Soil displacement • Changing pH • Disposal • Expensive • Environmental effects • Non-renewable

Steel Issues • Corrosion • Installation alignment • Bending • Failure • Expensive • Environmental effects • Non-renewable resource

Why Use Preserved Wood? • Sustainable • Durable • Long lasting • Economical

Treated wood products are sustainable Inputs Outputs • Seed • Oxygen • Soil • Habitat • Water • Stored Carbon • Sun • Mature Forest • CO 2 • Wood Products 30-80 years of forest management By the time your preserved wood has served its life, New products will be grown and ready to replace it

Resisting Nature Coastal home in Galveston, Texas • Built on CCA pilings • Survived Hurricane Ike, storm surge

Longevity of Wood Pilings, Posts • Extensive record of long service life in demanding conditions • East and West coasts • Post tests dating back to 1920s • Oregon State University • Mississippi State University • US Forest Products Lab

Life Cycle Assessment Conclusions • Preserved wood products have Composite of 7 environmental indicators, normalized significantly lower impacts than alternatives • Wood uses less energy, water and fossil fuels with lower environmental impacts

Preserved Wood in Aquatic Environments: Regulatory Updates

Statutory/Regulatory Framework Federal Legislation Clean Water Act (CWA) • Clean Air Act (CAA) • Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) • Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) • Endangered Species Act (ESA) • Regulations and Enforcement Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) • US Army Corps of Engineers • NOAA Fisheries/NMFS • Myriad State Agencies •

Washington • Considered on a case-by- case basis • DNR: Waterborne preservatives (ACZA, ACQ) using WWPI BMPs • Proposed: Corps RGP-6 Inland Marine Waters • ACZA-treated pilings with BMP certificate

Oregon No permanent restrictions on • preserved wood Considered on a case-by-case basis • Corps of Engineers Nationwide • Regional Permit Conditions (2012) • Excluded from General Permit • Must obtain Individual Permit • Preserved wood not covered in programmatic BiOp SLOPES • ESA Section 7 Consultation required on “may affect” projects

Special Local Operating Procedures for Endangered Species (SLOPES) SLOPES for over water structures: • Programmatic Biological Opinion • Applies only to Corps Portland District • SLOPES III (2004) included preserved wood • SLOPES IV (2012) omitted preserved wood • SLOPES V in development • Working to get treated wood included in the BiOp to streamline permit process

Idaho No permanent restrictions on • preserved wood Evaluated on case-by-case basis • Must meet state water quality • standards for copper, pentachlorophenol, other

Environmental Protection • BMPs • Aquatic Assessment Model • Wraps • Polyurea coatings

Best Management Practices • Designed for preserved wood in aquatic applications • Minimize preservative migration from preserved wood • Specifying BMPs • Select use and preservative according to American Wood Protection Association standards • Require material to be produced in compliance with BMPs • Require third party inspection assurance

Best Management Practices (continued) May include air or kiln drying to pre-condition wood • Wood is vacuumed after the cylinder is drained of • preservative—length of vacuum depends on species and preservative Extended vacuum or double vacuum may be used • Post treatment processing includes kiln drying, air • seasoning, steaming, or expansion bath. Document BMP treating techniques • Final visual inspection to ensure there are no excessive • residues or surface deposits are present

Aquatic Assessment Model Box length = length Contaminant of the structure inputs include • Developed by Oregon (cm) rainwater runoff State University from overhead treated wood and direct inputs from • Site specific evaluation immersed treated wood of environmental impact Water depth • Easy to use – (cm) “Plug ‘n Chug Model” Current Vector V ss or PreservedWood.org/portals/0/documents/ V model ScreeningLevelAssessment.pdf Immersed treated piling

Aquatic Assessment Model The evaluation worksheet designed to lead user to one of five ESA determinations: “no effect” determination 1. “no effect” determination with specific special 2. conditions “may affect, not likely to adversely affect” 3. determination which may allow informal consultation; “may affect, not likely to adversely affect” with 4. specific special conditions determination can be made which may allow informal consultation; “likely to adversely affect” determination which 5. will require formal consultation.

New Web Platform for Model • Easy access and simple user interface • Ability to save sessions and auto-generate results report Western Wood Preservers Institute www.preservedwood.org 360-693-9958

Project Inputs: Select Preservative • Dynamic results show estimated downstream water and sediment concentrations for relevant contaminants Western Wood Preservers Institute www.preservedwood.org 360-693-9958

Project Inputs: Number of Pilings • Number of pilings in a row, and piling bents • Hover-over help and more detailed definitions available Western Wood Preservers Institute www.preservedwood.org 360-693-9958

Review, Save, and Print Results • The model shows a “no effect” determination • You can use treated wood on your project! No effect (on sediment or water quality) Normalized benchmarks Western Wood Preservers Institute www.preservedwood.org 360-693-9958

WWPI Advocacy & Tools

WWPI is an Advocate • Challenges to Ports • Time/staff intensive to deal with regulatory issues • Cost of regulatory compliance • Rising project costs • Environmental sustainability

Treated Wood App • Free download available for iOS and Android smartphones, tablets • Search “Western Wood Preservers” in online stores

Review • No permanent restrictions on preserved wood • Preserved wood is the all around best material • Assess aquatic impacts easily Lets Partner • WWPI is here to be a resource Up!

Contact WWPI for Assistance Website: preservedwood.org Sharla Moffett sharla@preservedwood.org 360-693-9958