Zur Prüfung und Bewertung der Umweltverträglichkeit von Holzschutzmitteln

Wood preservation can be made more environmentally compatible (1) by confining the use of wood preservative chemicals to the necessary minimum, and (2) by the use of effective and at the same time environmentally compatible wood preservatives. The aims and main points of testing and evaluating the environmental compatibility of wood preservatives are described. Crucial in this concern is the emission rate of the active ingredients of the wood preservatives (which leave the impregnated wood by leaching or evaporation), and this rate should be as low as possible for reasons of both long-term efficacy and low environmental load. The main pathways of possible environmental input of the active ingredients are leaching and evaporation during storage, transport and use of the impregnated wood and the input of their components or decomposition products during waste management. Looking at the leaching of non-fixing, not yet fixed as well as fixed wood preservative salts and organic active substances some problems arising in the practice of wood preservation and in the evaluation of the environmental compatibility of wood preservatives are dealt with and possible solutions are demonstrated.