Arsenic being phased out of wood for decks, play equipment

Gannett News Service, Erin Kelly
Published February 13, 2002

WASHINGTON -- Manufacturers of arsenic-treated wood -- commonly used in back yard decks and children's play equipment and sold at home-improvement stores -- have agreed to phase out the product for residential use by the end of 2003, the Environmental Protection Agency announced Tuesday. Arsenic, used to prevent termites and dry rot, causes cancer in humans and is especially toxic to children, EPA officials said. The agency has been negotiating with manufacturers while conducting a risk assessment aimed at determining the threat posed from arsenic-treated decks, picnic tables and playground equipment in Americans' back yards. Manufacturers, under increasing attack from environmental and public health groups, agreed to the voluntary, 22-month phase-out of arsenic-treated wood. Beginning in January 2004, the EPA will ban arsenic-treated wood in residential play structures, decks, picnic tables, landscaping timbers, fencing, patios and walkways. Safer wood preservatives will take the place of arsenic-treated wood, which commonly carries the label "CCA treated," which stands for chromated copper arsenate treated. The agreement applies only to wood used for houses, apartments and other residential buildings. It does not affect public playgrounds. The phase-out will eliminate the sale of about 85 percent of arsenic-treated wood, said Paul Bogart of the Healthy Building Network, which has been lobbying for a ban. "This is a responsible action by the industry," EPA Administrator Christine Todd Whitman said. "The companies deserve credit for coming forward in a voluntary way to undergo a conversion and retooling of their plants as quickly as possible." Manufacturers and sawmill operators said they stand by the safety of the present wood but agreed to phase it out because of interest in alternatives. "We also continue to support rigorous scientific research, which has consistently upheld the safety of CCA-treated wood when used as recommended," said Parker Brugge, executive director of the Treated Wood Council. Environmental and health groups praised the EPA for pushing manufacturers. But they also criticized the agency for advising consumers that existing arsenic-treated decks and play equipment are safe. EPA officials said they have not determined that the wood is dangerous because they have not completed testing. "The question now is what can millions of American families do with the thousands of square miles of highly hazardous arsenic-soaked lumber in their back yards," said Jane Houlihan, vice president for research at Environmental Working Group. The group released a report last year showing that lab tests on lumber bought at home improvement chains contained dangerously high levels of arsenic. "Children increase their cancer risk every time they play on this wood," Houlihan said. She called on retailers to stop selling the arsenic-treated wood immediately rather than waiting nearly two years for the product to be phased out.