California Governor Gavin Newsom Signs Bill 332 Regarding Treated Wood Waste

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Californians, agriculture industry, local governments and businesses now have more options to easily dispose of treated wood waste with the passage of recent legislation.

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 332 into law on Aug. 31 after it was approved unanimously by the California Legislature. The bill had an urgency clause, permitting it to go into effect immediately. AB 332 statutorily incorporates the former Alternative Management Standards (AMS) for Treated Wood Waste, which allowed preservative treated wood waste to be disposed in the composite lined portion of an approved solid waste landfill.

“The passage of AB 332 is a huge win for homeowners, contractors, builders, environmentalists and our infrastructure,” said Dallin Brooks, executive director of Western Wood Preservers Institute (WWPI). “The broad support for this bill reaffirms treated wood waste can safely be disposed while providing environmental benefits.”

The AMS had been in effect for nearly 15 years before the program expired on Jan. 1, 2021, creating significant difficulties for everyone needing to dispose of preserved wood. As a result, for the first three months of 2021, the disposal of treated wood was only authorized at a hazardous waste landfill. In March, the California Dept. of Toxic Substance Control (DTSC) created a variance program where those disposing of treated wood could purchase variances allowing disposal in approved composite-lined landfills per the provisions of the AMS.

With the adoption of AB 332, all treated wood waste variances become inoperative and are no longer in effect. However, this should not be an issue as the new law creates more disposal options with previously approved handling provisions. For further information on the disposal of treated wood waste going forward, visit the DTSC website at https://dtsc.ca.gov/toxics-in-products/treated-wood-waste/.

Brooks credited the passage of the bill to an extensive industry coalition, which included wood preservers, local jurisdictions, waste haulers, contractors, building material distributors, agricultural associations and environmentalists, as well as many other affiliated industries. “We showed over the past two decades a proven record of responsibly and safely disposing of treated wood in a way that protects the environment while allowing for simple compliance. We’re pleased that legislators and the governor agreed the AMS is the wisest way to dispose of treated wood at the end of its service,” said Brooks.

WWPI will be working with stakeholders such as DTSC, landfills, transfer stations and haulers to provide a smooth reimplementation of disposal options and offer disposal handling education. For questions about the implementation of AB 332, contact WWPI’s Director of Government Relations Ryan Pessah at [email protected].

WWPI represents preserved wood product producers, chemical manufacturers, wood manufacturers and others serving the wood infrastructure and building industry throughout western North America. For nearly 75 years, WWPI has provided assistance to legislative, regulatory, building codes and preserved wood production aimed at sustaining healthy forests and ensuring critical infrastructure is safe.