Treated Wood Illegal in Garbage & Drains Hazardous Waste FREE Household Hazardous and Electronic Waste Collection Event December 21, 2024 Saturday, December 21, 2024 More Info Get Reminder Treated wood is considered construction and demolition (C&D) waste, and needs to be dropped off at a C&D waste facility. For complete information about disposal of the full range of construction materials, visit the Construction & Demolition page. Never Burn Treated Wood Chemicals such as creosote are used when treating wood, which creates toxic ash and emissions when burned. These particles lodge in soil and groundwater and take many years to break down, so never burn wood if you think it has been treated. Take Care With Sawdust Avoid breathing in sawdust from treated wood, and do not add it to compost or scatter on the ground. Ways to Reduce Choose a Different Wood Redwood and cedar are both naturally pest-resistant. Suppliers are also starting to offer more non-toxic treated wood options. Ways to Reuse Repurpose for New Project Certain types of wood products can be reused in a variety of ways. Find out how to repurpose your wood product.