Where to get rid of untreated, scrap or rotten wood
Clean, untreated wood (pallets, framing scraps, rotted boards that were never treated) has more options than treated lumber: yard-waste and composting sites, construction recyclers, transfer stations and landfills.
How to do it
- Confirm it's untreated. Green or brown tint, stamped tags or a chemical smell usually mean treated lumber.
- Remove nails, screws and paint where you can, since recyclers often want clean wood.
- Try composting or yard-waste sites first for small pieces and brush, then C&D recyclers for lumber.
- Use a landfill or transfer station for painted, mixed or rotted wood that recyclers won't take.
What to avoid
- Don't mix treated and untreated wood in a load headed to a yard-waste site.
- Don't burn painted wood. Older paint may contain lead.
Places that may take scrap wood
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