Exterior Wood Inc

The Exterior Wood facility is located in the Camas–Washougal Industrial Park, a long‑established manufacturing and distribution district situated along the Columbia River in Clark County, Washington. The park sits between the cities of Camas and Washougal, two historically industrial communities shaped by timber processing, paper manufacturing, and river‑based commerce.

Together, Camas and Washougal form a linked economic region with over 45,000 residents, where manufacturing, distribution, and industrial services are major employment sectors. The Camas–Washougal Industrial Park supports dozens of commercial and industrial businesses and remains a regional hub for lumber processing, fabrication, shipping, and heavy equipment operations.

The Exterior Wood facility, located on Index Street within the park, has operated as a commercial wood‑treatment plant since 1977. Wood‑treating facilities in this area benefited from proximity to major freight transportation networks—including truck routes, nearby rail access, and deep‑water shipping at regional ports—making the location well‑suited for large‑scale lumber processing and distribution.

Over decades of operation, accidental leaks and drips of wood‑preserving chemicals at the drip pad resulted in contamination beneath the pad area. Historical preservatives used at the facility include:
• Chromated copper arsenate (CCA)
• Copper azole
• Borate
• Boric acid
Environmental sampling over multiple decades has documented contamination in soil and groundwater from these preservatives. Chemicals associated with the site’s historical treatment processes include arsenic, chromium, and copper—all components of CCA or related formulations.

Wood treatment operations began at the site in 1977. In 1993, Exterior Wood, Inc., became both the operator and owner and continued wood‑treating activities. In 1995, Exterior Wood notified Ecology and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency of an accidental chemical release after deficiencies in the drip pad system were discovered. Contaminated soil and asphalt were excavated where accessible, the drip pad was repaired, and additional groundwater monitoring wells were installed. Some contamination, including CCA‑impacted soil, remained in hard‑to‑reach areas.

In 1996, Bishoprick Properties, Inc., became the property owner while Exterior Wood continued to operate the facility. In 2011, Exterior Wood reported to Ecology that contamination—arsenic and other suspected metals—was present in soil and groundwater. Ecology and Exterior Wood entered Agreed Order 7971 in 2012 to address necessary improvements to the drip pad system and bring it into compliance.

A Remedial Alternatives Evaluation was completed in 2018 to assess cleanup options for arsenic and other contaminants. That same year, Exterior Wood was purchased by Taiga Building Products. In 2019, Exterior Wood installed a groundwater extraction system designed to address elevated arsenic concentrations. Extracted groundwater is reused in the facility’s arsenic‑containing treatment processes. Exterior Wood notified Ecology of the system’s operation in 2021.