Pressure Treated Lumber No More
Advisory Report - 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:
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Keep all food out of contact with treated wood, such as picnic tables
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Ensure that children wash their hands after playing on treated wood
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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.origen.net/arsenic.html
Contributed by Brian Lynch
Relocation Account Specialist
U.S. Inspect, LLC