News Coverage
Most home play sets and decks contain arsenic-treated wood; here's what to do
Published August 7, 2002
SEATTLE - Whether you'd sunbathe on an arsenic-treated wood deck or watch your toddler eat dirt under a treated play set probably depends on your answer to this question: What is acceptable risk?
With most decks, play structures, docks and walkways built from arsenic-treated wood, it's a question most consumers must ask - and ultimately answer - themselves.
Maybe you remember the recent news stories about treated wood. The Environmental Protection Agency struck a deal with chemical manufacturers Osmose, Arch Wood Protection and Chemical Specialties in February to phase out production of the product for residential use by December 2003. But while the agency noted arsenic is cancer-causing, it stopped short of recalling the wood immediately and didn't recommend people tear down existing arsenic-treated structures.
Huh?
It seemed as if the EPA was sending mixed messages.
With spring building season upon us, here's some more information to clarify the risks - and your options.
Q. What is arsenic-treated wood?
A. Chromated-copper-arsenate-treated lumber, known as CCA or arsenic-treated, is pressure treated with a mixture of arsenic, chromium and copper to protect it from rot, fungi and insects. It's been widely used for about 60 years for outdoor structures, such as decks, children's play sets, flower boxes and walkways.
Q. Why was arsenic-treated wood discontinued?
A. Industry officials and the EPA say it was to accommodate consumers, who are moving toward arsenic-free products. Environmental groups, who believe exposure could cause lung or bladder cancer, have lobbied and litigated against the product for years.
Q. When will it be gone?
A. No arsenic-treated lumber can be produced for most residential uses after the deadline, but retailers can still sell existing stock. The product will still be used for industrial structures, highway construction, siding and shingles.
Home Depot and Lowe's say they will beat the deadline, but how soon the wood is off the shelves of these nationwide chains depends on how quickly treatment plants can switch to nonarsenic processes. In the meantime, the retailers say warning labels will be tacked to each piece of lumber.
Q. How dangerous is arsenic?
A. Arsenic is a known human carcinogen linked to skin, bladder, lung and other cancers. It is also suspected to cause high blood pressure and cardiovascular diseases. Several people nationwide, including a Washington man who became seriously ill and suffered partial facial paralysis from arsenic poisoning he contracted through working with treated wood, have won lawsuits or settlements against chemical and wood-treating companies.
Q. What are the risks of skin contact with this wood?
A. All experts agree those working with treated wood should follow strict safety measures (see tips). But ask how dangerous it is to touch arsenic-treated wood and you'll get a wide range of opinions.
- EPA: Scientists working with the EPA and Consumer Product Safety Commission are immersed in long-term studies on the effects of human - particularly children's - skin contact with the arsenic in treated wood.
They hope to learn how much arsenic leaches from the wood and how much ends up on the hands and in the systems of children and adults.
Groups cite various studies, says David Deegan, an EPA spokesperson, but the agency still believes there's no conclusive evidence that touching the wood harms health. Nonetheless, the EPA was glad the chemical manufacturers phased it out.
"We know if we can reduce people's exposure to arsenic, that's going to be a good thing," Deegan says.
- Environmentalists: The Healthy Building Network and Environmental Working Group believe contact with the wood could cause illnesses and lung and bladder cancers down the road. They are especially concerned for children, who often stick their hands in their mouths while playing on arsenic-treated play sets.
The watchdog groups have conducted swipe studies - simulating the damp palm of a 4-year-old child - and measured what they believe to be high levels of arsenic on treated lumber.
Paul Bogart, spokesman for the network, believes the EPA's careful statements are more about semantics and politics than safety. Consumers and the agency are speaking different languages, he says.
"Consumers ask the question, 'Is it safe?' and the EPA does not speak that language. They speak the language of 'What is the level of risk?'"
It could be the EPA's idea of acceptable risk will be different than the average person's, he says.
- Industry: The American Wood Preservers Institute, representing the treated-wood industry, argues the wood is safe for skin contact. It quotes one study asserting a child would have to eat a spoonful of dirt from the ground next to an arsenic-treated play set every day for 30 years before there would be a potential health effect.
Many retailers say they also believe it's safe, but they want to give the public what it wants.
"There probably are three dozen pesticides in our store that are more toxic than CCA-treated wood," says Don Harrison, Home Depot spokesperson.
Q. What levels are safe?
A. The EPA has not set safety levels for surfaces of arsenic-treated wood. It has set limits for drinking water - 10 parts per billion. But comparing the amount of arsenic on wood and in water is apples and oranges, spokesperson Deegan says, because no one directly eats the wood.
Arsenic, which also occurs naturally in soil, often pollutes industrial areas. In Washington, the strictest arsenic cleanup level is 20 parts per million for residential soil and 200 parts per million for industrial.
Q. Does arsenic leach off treated wood?
A. Studies suggest it does, the EPA says, but the agency is still assessing how much and how quickly. It's also still studying whether aged wood leaches more or less arsenic than new wood.
Q. Should you tear down decks, play sets or other structures?
A. No, the EPA says. Yes, says Healthy Building Network's Web site.
Q. What about sealants?
A. Some studies suggest applying penetrating coatings annually can reduce arsenic leaching; the EPA's Scientific Advisory Council reports coatings may decrease arsenic flaking by somewhere between 70 and 90 percent.
Polyurethane is the favorite, but oil-based, semi-transparent stains are also recommended. "Film forming" nonpenetrating stains, such as latex semi-transparent, latex opaque and oil-based opaque stains, are not.
Q. What are the alternatives?
A. New preservative products, such as ACQ Preserve, NatureWood and Wolmanized Natural Select, use copper-based preservatives without arsenic. Retailers say these alternatives seem similar in quality, but are slightly more expensive.
Naturally rot-resistant woods, such as cedar or redwood, are widely recommended, but are often significantly more expensive. Recycled plastics and metals are also options.
With so many unknowns, any decisions you make - whether to replace or paint your deck or play structure, or even to continue working with the lumber until the 2003 phaseout - ultimately come down to your own comfort level with risk.