Past, Present, And Future of the Wood Preservation Industry: Wood Is a Renewable Natural Resource That Typically Is Preservative Treated to Ensure Structural Integrity in Many Exterior Applications (Feature‪)‬

Preservative treatment of wood has a long history in the United States and throughout the world. Even the early settlers to the New World in the 17th century used wood preservatives to protect homes and other structures. The treated wood industry in the United States is evolving as new products emerge, technology advances, and environmental concerns increase. Recently, chromated copper arsenate (CCA) preservative-treated wood has been a frequent subject in the national news. A voluntary phase-out of CCA-treated wood for non-industrial uses has increased the attention on new-generation, arsenic-free preservatives. In a recent feature article in the Forest Products Journal. Evans (2003) discussed new preservative systems, including copper- and zinc-based and other metal systems, metal-free systems, treatment technologies, wood modification, and natural protection systems. This article examines the past, present, and future of preservative-treated wood with an emphasis on issues in the market-place and treated wood use policy.