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6 Years in a Row
Top rated, 2003-2008
At EWG, our team of scientists, engineers, policy experts, lawyers and computer programmers pores over government data, legal documents, scientific studies and our own laboratory tests to expose threats to your health and the environment, and to find solutions. Our research brings to light unsettling facts that you have a right to know.
The Poisonwood Rivals: Wood Industry Lobbyists Negotiate to Halt EPA's Cancer Risk Assessment
In 1984, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) determined that pesticides containing arsenic (a known human carcinogen) were not safe, and issued a "Notice of Intent to Cancel Registration" for the arsenic wood pesticide CCA. In other words, the Agency intended to place a ban on arsenic in wood for decks and playground equipment. But industry lobbyists swung a deal with EPA that allowed them to continue selling their product so long as all retailers voluntarily passed out safety information to every consumer who purchased the wood. (Amendment of notice of intent to cancel, 1986) (PDF)
Most never did.
Arsenic treated wood has continued to be essentially the consumer's only choice for outdoor lumber for the past 18 years. Sales of the wood nearly doubled in the 10 years following EPA's proposed ban. Throughout this time, the wood industry has failed to distribute safety information in accordance with the terms of their 1985 Settlement Agreement with EPA. At least since the 1980s, the wood industry has known that their product leaches significant amounts of arsenic, and that arsenic easily rubs off the wood onto people's hands. Despite this knowledge, they have continued to sell arsenic treated lumber to the public. Worse, the lobbyists ruthlessly pressured top government officials to halt EPA's cancer risk assessment for arsenic in treated wood. In a letter to EPA on January 31, 2002, Senator Nelson of Florida urged EPA's Administrator Christine Todd Whitman to complete the risk assessment. View Senator Nelson's letter here. (PDF)
A string of studies conducted since 1987 have consistently shown that significant amounts of arsenic are easily wiped off of decks and play sets for years, far more on average than the EPA allows in drinking water. At least eight studies from state health departments, the wood industry, university researchers, federal agencies and independent consumer test programs show that, on average, 16 times more arsenic rubs off the surface of aged wood than EPA allows in a six-ounce glass of water.
An average of 32 micrograms of arsenic rubbed off an area of wood the size of a four-year-old's hand (100 cm2) versus two micrograms allowed in a 6-ounce glass of water (10 micrograms per liter of water). These data include more than 500 wipe samples and hand rubbing samples. Levels of arsenic as high as 802 micrograms of arsenic per 100 cm2 of wood surface have been measured in these studies, or 400 times the arsenic allowed in a glass of water under EPA's new drinking water standard.
EPA began a children's cancer risk assessment when arsenic treated wood came under national scrutiny as a result of the arsenic in drinking water debate and several playground closings in Florida.The risk assessment at EPA is focusing on how much of the arsenic that wipes off the wood onto children's hands ends up in their mouths. EPA videotaping studies show that children put their hands in their mouths an average of 9.5 times an hour. The recent assessment of arsenic risk by the National Academy of Sciences shows 10 micrograms of arsenic per day would equate to about 1 in 300 people developing bladder or lung cancer (NAS 2001). On average, three times that amount of arsenic wipes off an area of aged wood the size of a four-year-old's handprint (100 cm2). Children who regularly play on arsenic treated decks and play sets could easily face an extremely high excess lifetime cancer risk. Industry does not want to see these results on paper, and is therefore actively engaged in closed-door discussions with EPA to block the risk assessment.
Scientific studies by the following institutions show a high level of arsenic easily wiped from the surface of arsenic-treated wood onto human hands or cloth wipes: California Department of Health; Health and Welfare Canada; State of Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station; U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission; Maine Bureau of Health/Environmental Toxicology Program; Scientific Certification Systems (wood industry consultant); Environmental Working Group and Health Building Network; Environmental Quality Institute of the University of North Carolina Asheville.
