Pressure-treated (CCA) wood, which has been in production for 70 years, will no longer be manufactured in the United States for residential use. This is good news as CCA wood (CCA is a toxic and carcinogenic wood preservative, chromated copper arsenate), often used for wooden decks, picnic tables and swing sets, contains arsenic--a known human carcinogen--that rubs off when the wood is touched.

Children tend to put their hands in their mouth about 16 times an hour while playing, and those who have arsenic on their hands are at an increased risk of developing lung and bladder cancer.

Some 90 percent of all outdoor wooden structures in the United States are made with pressure-treated wood, however a recall is not scheduled even though weathered lumber may leach even more arsenic than new boards.

CCA wood was originally developed to prevent coal mines from caving in, but as the price of lumber increased in the 1970s,it began to have more widespread use, now in decks, picnic tables and other structures meant for close human use.

Concerns about the wood were raised during the 1970s, but even years later no one was aware that food should not touch it, clothes that came in contact with it should be washed separately, and gloves and goggles should be worn if the wood is sanded or sawed.

During the 1980s and 1990s, several incidents occurred that showed just how dangerous the wood could be. For instance:

• The EPA recommended that pressure-treated wood sold directly to consumers via lumberyards and home improvement centers bear warning labels.

• Workers in wood treatment plants were found to have elevated levels of arsenic in their urine.

• A government employee became completely disabled after building picnic tables in an unventilated shop.

• Eight members of a family fell ill with a mysterious neurological disease that turned out to be arsenic poisoning caused by burning pressure-treated lumber in the wood stove.

During 2001 and 2002, U.S. citizens began to focus on the hazards that arsenic-treated wood pose to children, as reports have shown that children who frequently play on CCA structures have an increased risk of cancer and other health conditions.

Studies are currently underway to determine if a sealant could be applied to CCA wood to protect children form the arsenic, but for now much of the wood is still out there and consumers are left to protect themselves and their children from the chemicals.

Rachel's Environment & Health News February 12, 2004

Rachel's Environment & Health News February 19, 2004