Dangerous arsenic levels in lumber, groups report

Gannett News Service, Erin Kelly
Published November 8, 2001

WASHINGTON - Most of the wood Americans buy at home-improvement stores to build decks and backyard play areas is treated with dangerously high levels of arsenic, a new report from environmental and consumer groups says. Tests of wood purchased from 13 Home Depot stores and five Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse stores in 13 metropolitan areas revealed unsafe levels of the poison, according to the study from the non-profit Environmental Working Group and the Healthy Building Network. The arsenic levels of the wood ranged from 18 to 1,020 micrograms. The Environmental Protection Agency recently determined that 10 micrograms is a safe standard for drinking water. Children who touch arsenic-treated wood on decks, picnic tables and playground equipment are at greater risk of ingesting the poison than adults because they often put their fingers and hands into their mouths, the report says. Children also can absorb arsenic through their skin. Long-term exposure to arsenic can cause lung, bladder and skin cancer, according to the National Academy of Sciences. "If consumers knew the dangers, they would never bring this wood home to their families," said Richard Wiles, senior vice president of the Environmental Working Group. Spokesmen for Home Depot and Lowe's said the stores buy wood that meets guidelines set by the EPA, which is reviewing the cancer risks to children of arsenic-treated wood. "We buy lumber only from reputable vendors, all certified by the federal government," said Chris Ahearn, Lowe's director of public relations. "As retailers, we often receive conflicting information about the safety of treated lumber. We rely on the information we receive from the federal government, the EPA." EPA reviews have shown arsenic-treated wood to be safe when used properly, Home Depot spokesman Ron Jarvis said. Arsenic is injected into the wood as a preservative that protects against insect infestation and exposure to the elements. Arsenic-treated lumber is used to build more than 90 percent of all outdoor wooden structures in the United States, the report says. Public-interest groups say that arsenic-free preservatives would work just as well, although they are costlier. Ahearn and Jarvis said not enough suppliers of arsenic-free wood are available to serve large chains.