Aquatics
Treated Wood in Aquatic and Sensitive Environments
The use of treated wood products in wetland, marine or freshwater environments
is its most sensitive application. The institute is dedicated to assuring our products
are used appropriately in such applications. Over a decade of intense scientific investigation has clearly established that in the vast majority of applications, used appropriately, treated wood is not a risk to the environments.Best Management Practices
In order to assure that only appropriate treated wood is used in aquatic applications, WWPI developed the BMP's. Treated wood to be used in or over the waters should be specified and certified in compliance with the BMP's.
**Click on any link below to view, then click the back arrow on the upper left hand corner of the viewed page to return to this page.
BMP's - Best Management Practices (April 3, 2012) --- U.S. and
Canadian recommended guidelines for the production and use of treated
wood products in aquatic and other sensitive environments.See The Difference!
The purpose of the Best Management Practices (BMP's) is to place enough preservative into a product to provide the needed level of protection while also minimizing use of the preservative above the required minimum industry standard to reduce the amount potentially available for movement in the environment. The below pictures demonstrate the difference between using the BMP's versus past practices.
Piling Not Treated to BMP's vs.Piling Treated to the BMP's.
BMP Quality Mark Now Available
A Quality Assurance program for the use with the Best Management Practices for the Use of Treated Wood in Aquatic Environments and Wetland Environments (BMP's) is available to the market. The BMP's were developed by the Western Wood Preservers Institute (WWPI), Wood Preservation Canada (WPC), Southern Pressure Treaters' Association (SPTA) and the Timber Piling Council to assure treated wood products are produced and installed in a manner which minimizes any potential for adverse impacts to aquatic environments. Designers and regulators in the western U.S. and Canada are encouraged to specify the use of BMP's and to require 3rd party quality assurance.
Where material is specified to be treated in conformance with the BMP's, assurance that the materials meet the BMP standards, including third party oversight, can be provided by the producer. Assurance will be in the form of a written certification document; or the material may be stamped or tagged with the BMP Mark. Only inspection agencies and producers authorized by the Western Wood Preservers Institute may apply the registered mark signifying conformance with the third party inspection program. Only Inspection Agencies which are accredited by the American Lumber Standards Committee are eligible to participate in the Mark Program.
Because not all agencies and producers are yet participating, inventories held by building materials suppliers may not be under the program. As interest in the program grows, use of the mark is anticipated to become more common on materials intended for use in aquatic applications and related sensitive environments.
BMP Mark Participants
The following firms are authorized to use the BMP Mark: Treaters:
Allweather Wood
Conrad Forest ProductsInspection Agencies:
Bode Inspection
Timber Products Inspection
* return to top of page
* return to top of page
Public Policy Issues
The Science and Preservative Modeling Tool
Complete general and preservative specific science on research, literature reviews and a modeling tool for evaluating the impacts of treated wood used in aquatic and sensitive environments.
In order to assure that only appropriate treated wood is used in aquatic applications, WWPI developed the BMP's. Treated wood to be used in or over water should be specified and certified in compliance with the BMP's.
* return to top of page
*return to top of page
Preservative Studies, Reports and Guides
Preservative Risk Assessment Model
An updated and revised preservative risk assessment model now
provides streamlined data entry for users, and allows evaluation of structures above and below water built with wood treated
with eleven of the most commonly used preservatives - creosote, pentachlorophenol, copper naphthenate, ACZA, CCA-C, CA-B™, Wolman AG™, ACQ-B or C™, Wolman μCu Azole™, MicroPro Azole™ and MicroPro Quat™The model is designed to conservatively predict specific sites where pressure treated wood projects have a reasonable probability of creating an unacceptable environmental risk and a range of projects and sites where there is little environmental risk.
General Risk Assessment Model Aquatic Guide (excel file) - Kenneth Brooks (April 2010)
Preservative Aquatic Science
Creosote - Literature review, Computer Model and Assessment of the Potential Environmental Risks Associated With Creosote Treated Wood Products Used in Aquatic Environments
CCA - Literature review, Computer Model and Assessment of the Potential Environmental Risks Associated With CCA Treated Wood Products Used in Aquatic Environments
ACZA - Literature review, Computer Model and Assessment of the Potential
Environmental Risks Associated With ACZA Treated Wood Products Used
in Aquatic Environments.
ACQ - Literature review, Computer Model and Assessment of the Potential Environmental Risks Associated With ACQ Treated Wood Products Used in Aquatic Environments
Pentachlorophenol Treated Wood - Literature review, Computer Model and Assessment of the Potential Environmental Risks Associated With Pentachlorophenol Treated Wood Products Used in Aquatic Environments
Copper Naphthenate - Literature review, Computer Model and Assessment of the Potential Environmental Risks Associated With Copper Naphthenate Treated Wood Products Used in Aquatic Environments
Fresh Water Systems - Assessment of the Environmental Risks Associated with the Use of Treated Wood in Lotic Systems
