There is rain falling in Northern California, Oregon, and Washington, it's good we need the rain. It is complicated by the ash from the wildfires coating the ground and working its way into the soil. The people dealing with the cleanup are obviously aware of the problems ash can present when preparing the burned out areas for rebuilding.
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| Typical wood chip pile in the fuel yard of a Biomass Electrical Generation Plant. |
My experience with wood ash is extensive, I was employed for 4 years in one Bio-mass electrical generating plant, the plant burned residential waste from Los Angelos, the plant was in the Coachella Valley, the California Desert. It was a mix of wood waste, palm trees, citrus groves, date pits and most other flammable organic materials. In a controlled situation such as a boiler, the fly ash which remains after combustion is a toxic waste and must be dealt with accordingly. The Electrical Generating plants I worked at, two biomass, six petroleum coke plants and a gas turbine plant. When solid fuel is burned one of the biggest challenges is dealing with the ash, most plants dedicate one person to deal with it. Ash can be added to cement mixes, one of the plants I worked at provided their wood ash for use as the road base for Interstate 10, its route is across the Southern portion of the U.S. The ash sets up as hard as concrete, encapsulating the PM 10 in the solid bed. The ash is also used to "cap" toxic waste in some disposal sites, it is spread over other toxic materials, wetted down then allowed to harden forming a concrete-like dome over the materials. When ash gets wet it expands, swells up, there are many silos that have been filled with wood ash when somehow water is introduced to it through leaks in the top or some other manner. Expansion occurs locking the material in the tank, often causing it to split at the seams, the ash is unable to flow out due to it's now solid. State and Federal laws govern the dealing with ash, it is very closely regulated, however, every day there are less biomass and other "solid fuel" plants. At the end of my career I realized I was a "Dinosaur", I worked with solid fuels although I was a Jet Engine Mechanic.
That's a little information on how ash is dealt with in the Power Production industry, what takes place when the ground is covered with ash, like after a wildfire? After the fires are out, and the smoke is cleared, the same dangers remain on the ground and must be addressed.
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| Ash Pile outside an Electrical Generating Plant, you can easily see how it could be a major problem quickly. |
Burned structures from wildfires contain all of the heavy metals and chemicals of the items that were destroyed in the fire. Some of the heavy metals include Antimony, Arsenic, Cadmium, Copper, Lead, Zinc and Mercury. Building materials contain an assortment of hazardous components as well, Paint, Siding, Joint compound, Piping, Exterior siding and the ever possible presence of Asbestos. It is entirely possible for wood ash and water to mix in puddles, creating lye is not out of the question, if one were to step in it with unprotected feet chemical burns could result.
All of the hazardous waste created during the fires must be taken to a toxic waste facility before residents are allowed to begin cleanup. When working in the affected area a very good dust mask must be worn, PM 10 when inhaled lodges itself deep in the lungs. PM 10 (Particulate matter 10 microns and less) can flow through walls it is so small, the particles have barbs much like a harpoon. The Utah Department of Health Link to their site on Wood Smoke.
The ash hardens when wetted, not enough to puddle, but just enough to make it the consistency of pancake batter, it will cause rainwater to run off causing erosion. Working the ash into the soil will eliminate that concern to an extent, unprotected dirt will then erode as well, straw spread over the exposed soil along with Straw Wattles. (Straw Erosion Booms). Controlling the burn area to ward off erosion is a proven technology, there is, however, another danger present in the ash.
Have you bought Pressure Treated Wood at a lumber yard or big box store? It's illegal for it to be cut or trimmed in the building. Burning treated wood can be deadly, if consumed by a cow 5 tablespoons will kill it, 1 tablespoon will kill an adult human, if eaten. CCA wood (The preservative containing Chromium, Copper, and Arsenic.) has been used since the 1940's to protect the lumber against rotting, insect infestations and fungi. Used in decks, gardens, outdoor tables, fences and other outdoor structures.
When the treated wood is burned (not isolated to wildfires) in fireplaces, campfires and disposal fires the arsenic concentrates in the ash making it dangerously toxic, it is illegal to burn the material in all 50 states. The ash retains 80% of the toxins created by the treating process, if it "leaches" into the soil it may contaminate the groundwater. "Old House Magazine" reported: Husband and Wife dairy farmers residing in Saulk Rapids, Minnesota lost 18 Holstein Heifers after a strong thunderstorm scared the animals causing them to jump a fence, ending up in the neighbors adjoining farm. The animals were retrieved, however, all of them died within 4 days. An investigation revealed the cows died of internal bleeding and liver failure, caused by Arsenic poisoning. The Arsenic was in ash that was dumped on the next door farmland after the burning of treated wood, for heating the house, it was attractive to the animals due to the "salty" taste. We don't understand how toxic this stuff is, It is able to kill rapidly at high doses, with moderate amounts it is able to kill over a longer period of time and cause cancer at lower levels taking a substantial amount of time.
The amount of scrap treated wood is growing, in the year 2020 the total amount will be enough to build a walkway 3 feet wide and 1-1/2 inch thick, all the way to the moon, that's a lot of toxins. When the material is burned the arsenic is released into the air, not all of it, there is still plenty left in the ash to make it concentrated and highly toxic. Some boiler operators have experimented with injecting limestone into the fireboxes, it reacts with the arsenic and forms larger "chunks", 50 microns. Pollution control devices are better able to collect larger particles, the arsenic ends up in the ash. Testing shows the arsenic limestone particles are less likely to escape into the water table. If a method is discovered to burn the material without releasing the hazards into the air, that would solve the disposal problem related to Pressure Treated wood. As of now the only way to deal with scrap CCA is to bury it in a toxic waste dump, burning is out of the question. The experiences of a Northern Wisconsin family was studied by Henry A. Peters MD, a link to his extremely interesting paper.
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| It's impossible to know what all is in this wood, I have seen guns, automobile parts and lots of tools, we can't see the chemicals. |
Yes, it is a danger, it seems to be one of those things that new discoveries are being made while studying how to dispose of treated wood in particular. We can wear our respirators, goggles, gloves, and leather hard-soled boots, Tyvek coveralls, and hygiene should be top priorities as well. Pregnant women and children should not be exposed to the smoke or ash from treated wood, in any amount, in fact, avoidance of treated wood is best for those highly sensitive members of our society. Above all we should not burn treated wood in our wood-burning devices, it is a toxic waste, it's much like burning used motor oil.
Thank you for reading and sharing, leave a comment or question, Thanks.
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