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.

CCA Wood

Beyond Pesticides and CCA Pressure Treated Wood

Beyond Pesticides advocacy group has been proactive in urging the EPA to ban the use of CCA pressure treated wood, especially with playground equipment that exposes children to the human carcinogen. Since the 1940s, pressure treated wood has been used, and although there has been controversy with the use of the chemical and putting children at risk, the benefits of the wood treatment always seemed to outlive the risk factors. In the last few years, however, controversy seemed to grow and a popular television shows even made their topic of four episodes of the show dealing with the EPA being sued by a couple whose children developed neurological defects after playing on swing sets treated with the toxic chemical.

In December 2001, leading environmental groups and public health groups petitioned the EPA to immediately stop the continued use of CCA, including Beyond Pesticides. The groups said that the EPA had sufficient data showing the risks associated to the exposure of pressure treated wood and that safe alternatives were available making the risk unnecessary. Included in the petition, the group cited the high cancer risks due to exposure to playground equipment with pressure treated wood. In addition, the soil in close proximity to the CCA treated wood became contaminated with arsenic as well. CCA has been linked to cancer, birth defects, kidney and liver damage, endocrine system disruption, and death.

In Florida, Governor Jeb Bush temporarily closed down a playground due to the pressure treated wood and tore down another. As controversy continued in the U.S. about pressure treated wood, other countries had already banned arsenic wood preservatives in the past, including Switzerland, Vietnam, and Indonesia, in addition to being restricted in Japan, Denmark, Sweden, Germany, Australia, and New Zealand. Right now about 90% of industrial arsenic used in the U.S. is for wood preservatives. In 1999, the U.S. consumed 71,700 metric tons of CCA.

After the EPA announced the plan to phase out CCA treated wood on February 12, 2002, Beyond Pesticides said it was a “delayed partial cancellation” that violates EPA regulations because numerous CCA treated wood will continue to be sold. The group found the EPA’s actions to be “insufficiently protective of human health and the environment” and described the phase out announcement as being “weak, voluntary, and unenforceable.” Beyond Pesticides is still urging the EPA to immediately suspended and ban all use of CCA.

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.