| Arsenic-treated wood is the result
of a chemical process in which wood is treated with a pesticide/preservative
called chromated copper arsenate (CCA) to prevent rotting in lumber designed
for outdoor use. CCA contains arsenic, chromium, and copper and was widely
used for residential purposes in the United States from the 1970s until
EPA phased it out in 2003.
CCA-treated wood can be hazardous to human health because arsenic is
classified as a known carcinogen. Exposure to arsenic can cause cancer
of the lung, bladder, skin, kidney, prostate, and nasal passage. Data
released in November 2003 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) show that 90 percent of children repeatedly exposed to arsenic-treated
wood face a greater than one-in-one million risk of cancer. (One-in-one
million is the EPA’s historic threshold of concern about the carcinogenic
effects of toxic chemicals.) Arsenic exposure can also lead to nerve damage,
dizziness, and numbness. Arsenic has been linked to immune diseases, cardiovascular
disease, diabetes, and changes in hormone function. Lung and bladder cancer
are the two health effects most often related to exposure to CCA-treated
wood.
CCA-treated wood can be found virtually anywhere outdoor lumber is being
utilized. Due to the increased risk to children, the uses currently receiving
the most attention are play sets, decks, and picnic tables. Arsenic can
leach to the surface of the treated wood, becoming accessible for absorption
through exposed hands and skin touching the wood surface and, especially
in the case of children, ingestion through normal hand-to-mouth behavior.
The arsenic can also leach into the ground surrounding the location of
the treated wood, providing yet another exposure pathway for children
playing in the area.
Government and public attention to the issue of health hazards from CCA-treated
wood, both national and international, has been growing steadily over
the past few years. In March 2003, EPA finalized a voluntary agreement
with preservative manufacturers to ban the production of CCA-treated wood
for most residential uses as of December 31, 2003. However, the ban does
not prohibit the sale of CCA-treated wood produced prior to December 31,
2003, nor does the measure address existing structures. With regard to
retail sales, a warning label must be displayed in locations where CCA-treated
wood is sold. The EPA has also removed chromated copper arsenate from
its list of approved chemical pesticides.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is also involved in the
regulation of arsenic-treated wood. The CPSC has officially stated that
there is an increased lifetime risk of developing lung or bladder cancer
from exposure to arsenic for the individual who plays on CCA-treated wood
play sets during early childhood. However, in November 2003, CPSC declined
to ban the use of CCA-treated wood in playground equipment, citing the
EPA-industry voluntary agreement to phase out the manufacture of CCA-treated
wood.
In research that is still underway, the EPA and CPSC are studying whether
wood sealants could effectively prevent arsenic from leaching out CCA-treated
wood.
Informed individuals need not wait for government action on CCA application.
Alternatives do exist to using arsenic-treated wood in new construction,
and there are recommendations to reduce exposure from existing structures.
- When purchasing new materials, some of the available
alternatives include wood treated with non-arsenic preservatives; wood
that does not require pressure-treatment; and non-wood alternatives
such as metal, cement, and plastic. The pros and cons for such alternatives
(other potentially hazardous chemical treatments, sustainable harvesting,
durability, etc.) should be examined prior to making a purchasing decision.
- A company called Timber
Treatment Technologies announced in April 2006 that
a new wood treatment process will replace CCA and other pesticide
wood treatments in wood used for decks, porches, fences, and other
outdoor home-related structures. The new treatment process, called
TimberSil, uses a sodium silicate solution, which is infused into
the wood. The solution, which is essentially a type of liquid glass,
and the wood are heated, rendering the solution water insoluble.
This creates a barrier and makes the wood inedible to insects, microbes,
and molds.
- When dealing with existing structures that cannot
be replaced, general recommendations include:
- Applying a sealant to the wood at least once a year
- Washing hands after coming into contact with arsenic-treated wood,
particularly before eating
- Avoiding toy storage under arsenic-treated decks
- Keeping children and pets away from dirt beneath and surrounding
arsenic-treated materials, as rains can transfer leached arsenic
to these locations
- Not eating at an arsenic-treated picnic table.
Alliance for Healthy Homes - Holistic/Multi-Topic
Resources
BANCCA.ORG
- comprehensive online health resource on CCA pressure-treated wood
Beyond
Pesticides
Center for Environmental Health - Safe
Playgrounds Project
Environmental Working Group - Arsenic
- includes news, history and links to databases
Healthy Building Network - Pressure
Treated Wood
Healthy Child Healthy World - Avoid
Arsenic Exposure From CCA-Treated Wood
U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry - ToxFAQ
for Arsenic
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission - CCA
Fact Sheet and Chairman’s
Statement
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - CCA
Fact Sheet
Hotlines
- Cancer
Information Service: 1-800-4-CANCER [1-800-442-6237]
The National Cancer Institute provides the Cancer Information Service
to serve the public in understanding scientific cancer research findings.
- Su Familia (Your Family): 1-866-SU FAMILIA
or 1-866-783-2645
The National
Alliance for Hispanic Health sponsors this helpline to
offer Hispanic consumers free, reliable and confidential health information
in Spanish and English and help navigate callers through the health
system.
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