Some time, in the not-too-distant past, the world became afraid of chemicals only focusing on the possible harm. We forgot that chemicals are all around us, doing good and keeping us clean and protected.
“Chemicals are in your toothpaste, your shampoo, and the cleaning wipes you use to disinfect your kitchen counter,” says Jay Hilsenbeck, Global Product Director and North American Marketing Director for Arxada. “Chemicals are used in the manufacture of an uncountable number of materials, keeping our world clean and our bodies healthy.”
Chemicals enhance our lives every day and, for the most part, we don’t even realize it’s happening. But how do those chemicals become useful ingredients in our everyday products? For a closer look, let’s examine the wood treating industry. For thousands of years, chemicals have been enhancing the performance of wood.
“In more modern times, chemicals have been extending the service life of wood to create an inexpensive, readily available, easy to install, and inherently renewable building material,” Jay says. “Preservatives have been formulated to take nature’s sustainable building block and make it better. Yet, those preservatives do not detract from the appealing qualities of wood, such as availability, flexibility, and beauty.”
More than 100 years ago, Dr. Karl Wolman discovered a method by which wood could be infused with chemicals to lengthen its life. Dr. Wolman discovered that certain chemicals react well during a pressure process in which the chemicals are forced into the wood to make it resistant to attack by termites and decay fungi.
Chemical formulations used within the wood industry - as with other industries - were developed based upon needs at the time of innovation. For example, Pentachlorophenol (no longer used the wood treating industry) had been used by the navy to treat rope in World War II Europe, but when the war ended and there was surplus chemical, its use turned to preservation of wood. Before this it had even been used in North America for the defoliation of crops before harvesting.
And, since preservatives are developed based upon market need, when the world saw the importance of more healthful and environmentally conscious products, research and innovation focused on the formulation of biocides used in different areas such as hygiene, crop protection, and paints and coatings.
“It was in the 1970s, with the establishment of the EPA, that people started to say we should really be paying attention to what we're handling, what we're putting into wood, and what's going into the environment,” explains Dr Stephen Uphill, Technical Lead for Arxada’s Wood Group Research and Development team - Americas and Industrial. “And at that point the industry as a whole started to move away from more toxic chemicals.” More modern biocide chemical formulations for the protection of wood were developed.
Thus begins the process of product development for new chemical formulations for the wood industry. Questions are asked, Stephen explains. “Which biocides, fungicides, insecticides, do we need to use together to protect wood in specific situations? Do they only work for crop protection, or will they work to protect wood as well? Will they meet EPA regulatory requirements for wood preservatives?”
“To answer these questions affirmatively, the research and development team performs screening tests,” Stephen says. “The team develops formulations and tests them to see if they work to protect wood. They discuss the risk phrases and health risks and anything else that might send a red flag and possibly prevent EPA registration. We want to constantly ensure we’re using enough of the correct active ingredients to protect from deterioration, without over treating.”
Treated wood becomes part of its environment where it's going to last for a long time, fighting different decay organisms that might occur over its lifetime. While in crop protection, developers are trying to defend against specific organisms for a short time during growth / harvesting, wood preservatives need to be developed to that can provide long-term protection against a wide range of decay organisms that occur in nature in different locations around the world. “We are putting wood out in the environment for decades, and we want it be protected,” Stephen says.
How did researchers develop copper azole, the most prominent formulation used in residential applications today? They followed the science. Copper, prominent in many wood protection formulations, is a well-recognized chemical and used in many industries, including protecting hospitals from bacteria and viruses. Researchers discovered that azoles such as propiconazole and tebuconazole both work on their own to protect against decay fungi. Combining copper with azoles created a formulation where these chemicals work well together, and at much lower levels than if used individually, to fight the natural enemies of wood.
The development process does not happen quickly. “There is a lot of formulation work that has to be completed in order to make a stable system that can be sold as a concentrate, for transport all around the world, that is stable at different temperatures, can be diluted in different waters, can penetrate deep into the timber, and doesn’t wash out when it rains” explains Stephen.
It takes months or maybe even years in some cases to get the correct formulation. Testing continues with treating and retreating the wood to arrive at the final formulation. Then formal efficacy testing that could take years begins.
Finally, the government approval process is initiated and the Regulatory group takes over. “Developers must consider the regulations and all of the technical registration work in order to support the process to gain EPA approval,” Stephen says. “There is more work to be done surrounding environmental emissions, leaching aspects, and other things. Products also must go through code approvals as well as meet AWPA standards and/or ICC approval.”
Teri Muchow, Senior Manager of Regulatory Affairs for Arxada, explains that the research team hands over their findings and the product is ready to enter the registration process. “When formulation of new product is set,” Teri says, “testing needed to support the registration such as product chemistry and acute toxicity begins. Results from this testing are used to draft the hazards statements on proposed product label.”
When Regulatory is ready, they turn over a registration package to the US EPA, which includes the formulation, supporting data, description of use, and proposed label. Upon completion of review EPA renders a decision regarding product approval. If successful, then the process for state registration begins. It is necessary for each state where the product will be used to also grant approval. The overall process takes anywhere from one to two years.
“Once the EPA approval is received, the team creates a Safety Data Sheet and a graphic label for the new product and sales and marketing can start promoting and selling the product,” Teri says.
Even though a product passes initial registration and can be sold, its actives go through EPA registration review every 15 years.
“So, my rule of thumb for new product approval in North America is five to seven years from conception to having a registered product. For Europe, it's eight to 10,” Stephen says.
The cautious, meticulous approach to innovation, is common the entire wood preservative market whether it be specialties (sawmills, engineered wood, etc.), residential (backyard projects), or industrial (utility, marine, agriculture, railroad) applications.
“What we should realize,” Stephen adds, “is that we as an industry do not believe in the overuse of chemicals. We do have to acknowledge that chemicals have their place in our world. When you're using the right chemicals responsibly, they make our world better. And it’s our role within the wood industry to ensure we're innovating with chemicals that complement our environment and our lives. We use chemicals to make the world’s only truly sustainable building material even better, by extending the service life of wood, locking away carbon, and allowing more trees to grow. Preserved wood supports leisure and infrastructure, decade after decade.”
When properly studied and scientifically applied and used, chemicals enhance our lives often in unseen ways.
“Today, the world is leading us toward sustainable products that are safe and effective. That is why treated wood will always be the product of choice when it comes to residential projects and protecting our infrastructure, marine and agricultural applications,” says Jay.
So, the next time you wash your hair or grab a wipe to clean your counter or relax on your deck, thank the researchers who spent countless hours developing that chemically enhanced product that makes your life better. And, to learn more about the chemicals used in the wood preservation business, visit wolmanizedwood.com.
(Belinda Remley has been promoting the wood industry for more than 30 years. She is a Marketing Communications Professional with Arxada, a leader in wood preservation and the preservative manufacturer behind Wolmanized® Outdoor® Wood.)