Reply To: How to be sure reclaimed wood is untreated
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Here in Oregon lots of wood recycling from construction demolition gets recycled for chipboard at large plants. The garbage transfer stations will accept it, nails and all, for a fee lower than the landfill fee by the ton. ($35 vs $95 a ton) They don’t accept treated lumber and that stuff goes to the landfill. They grouse about old painted wood also. While they accept small quantities, they don’t like the probable lead content in paint made before 1978.
And I can put wood shavings in with my yard debris pickup amd they don’t grouse. I age it a little in a bin outside first, which reduces the volume. One speck of paint or green and they won’t take it, though, and for that reason any tulip poplar shavings from my planer go in the trash also.
Here’s the guidelines from the regional government, Metro, which deals with transportation, sewage,garbage landfills, recycling, bridges, and the Port of Portland in Oregon and Washington.
https://www.oregonmetro.gov/tools-working/guide-construction-salvage-and-recycling
And the closest recycler to me ( about a mile) does accept and resell treated lumber. They stack it separately.
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/55b14a8ce4b07de064245397/t/5ace4ad28a922dd9b725fa26/1523469010902/What+We+Accept+-+AcceptanceGuidelines_4.11.18.pdf
The second closest place just opened a couple months ago and deals in HUGE beams and slabs ( some over 100 years old first growth from closed down sawmills)
they don’t accept treated lumber.
No idea about the UK. Ask.