January, 2004
Pressure Treated Lumber No More
Millions
use pressure-treated lumber each year for household decks, backyard fences
and children’s playgrounds, just to name a few. On January 1, 2004 a new law
went into effect halting all production of lumber permeated with chromium,
copper, and arsenic, or CCA (commonly called “pressure treated lumber”). The
Environmental Protection Agency began the phase-out almost two years ago due
to a key ingredient: arsenic, which is a known cancer-causing agent.
To understand the reason for alarm, let’s begin with what CCA is and how it
is formed. CCA is a very successful wood preservative that helps protect
against dry rot, fungi, molds, termites and other wood-destroying insects
that threaten the integrity of wood. The manufacturers of the product inject
CCA into wood using high pressure (hence pressure treated wood) until the
wood becomes saturated with the chemicals. The most serious concern of the
chemicals is the use of arsenic and how closely children will interact with
the treated wood.
Arsenic has long been known to cause cancer and damage to the brain, nervous
system and immune system. Children do not metabolize arsenic as well as
adults, making the risk that much more steep. With children all across the
country spending their playtime in the backyard and on playgrounds, the risk
to children is significantly increased. A preliminary EPA study found that
children who frequently play on or around CCA lumber are 10 times more at
risk to develop arsenic-related cancer than those who do not. Clearly this
is a problem that can no longer be ignored by the manufacturers and the
public.
As
previously stated, production of this lumber has been stopped; however, sale
of current stock is expected to keep home improvement stores well stocked
for several months to come. At this point the EPA has offered no safe
alternative to CCA and does not recommend homeowners replace what is
currently already in use. A few options have been discussed and are pending
EPA approval, such as certain sealants and alternative chemicals for
treating the wood. Unfortunately nothing in the pipeline appears very
promising. For the time being preventative measures are our best defenses:
-
Keep all food out of contact
with treated wood, such as picnic tables
-
Ensure that children wash
their hands after playing on treated wood
-
Keep children from putting
their hands in their mouths while playing near treated wood
Stay tuned as we promise to keep
you up-to-date on any new information that becomes available. For further
reading and information please visit the websites listed below:
For more information about pressure treated lumber, please click here:
www.epa.gov
www.usatoday.com
www.kirotv.com
www.treated-wood-arsenic-poisoning.com
Contributed by Brian Lynch
Relocation Account Specialist
U.S. Inspect, LLC
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