• cancer
• birth defects
• kidney and liver damage
• endocrine system disruption
• and death
  

Also in this Issue:

EPA Release from February 12, 2002 - Whitman announces transition from consumer use of treated wood containing arsenic

VIDEO LINK- CNN's Mark Potter looks at CCA -treated wood and its potential health dangers (May 23) (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)

Your Legal Rights - If you are suffering from side effects due to pressure treated wood exposure Contact James F. Humphreys & Associates, L.C. to learn more about your legal rights and options.

Pressure Treated Wood Alternative

Currently, companies are seeking pressure treated wood alternatives in light of the recent EPA announcement to phase out CCA containing products for consumer use by January 1, 2004. Pressure treated wood contains CCA, an arsenic that is a known human carcinogen. Especially a concern for children, pressure treated wood is found in decks, picnic tables, landscaping timbers, gazebos, residential fencing, patios, walkways/boardwalks, and play structures. Now many parents are concerned with finding durable and safe play structures for their kids. When arsenic is inhaled, ingested, or absorbed through the skin it can result in death, especially toxic with children.

So far there has been a number of preservatives registered by EPA. These new wood treatments will be made available to consumers. Certain untreated wood types, such as cedar and redwood can be used as alternatives to pressure treated wood. When wood can be replaced completely, using plastic, metal, or a composite material can be a safe option.

Pressure treated wood has been used since the 1940s as a means to protect wood products from things such as fungus, dry rot, mold, and other such things. Right now about 90% of industrial arsenic used in the U.S. is for wood preservatives. If you are unsure if your wood containing products are CCA treated you can call the construction company and ask. In most instances when a redwood or cedar has been used it was probably CCA treated.

It has been noted that northern white cedar is the only wood that is naturally splinter free, an especially important concern for parents choosing play structures for their children. Most wood types do require some type of chemical treatment so that it does not decay, which is why CCA has been so widely used. With northern white cedar the wood is a naturally rot free and splinter free alternative, in addition to being very durable. Alternatives woods, like redwood, can only have reduced splintering by sanding and sealing it annually.

The EPA has not found it necessary to remove or replace CCA treated structures already in place, however stories of health effects due to contact with pressure treated wood, especially with children, are a major concern for consumers. While the EPA is still uncertain about the actual risks that pressure treated wood poses, activists think that the EPA’s claims are in efforts of avoiding lawsuits. The activist group Beyond Pesticides finds the EPA’s announcement to be insufficient, stating that the phase out does not address at least half of the other products containing CCA despite the high availability of numerous alternatives.

If you are suffering from side effects due to pressure treated wood exposure Contact James F. Humphreys & Associates, L.C. to learn more about your legal rights and options. For more pressure treated wood alternative options, please consult a hardware store or lumberyard.