• 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 News

Play structures may be increasing cancer risk

September 14, 2004

Lumber treated with chromated copper arsenate (CCA) protected wood from rotting. Used heavily decades ago, the chemical contains arsenic, a carcinogen. CCA came under federal review in 2000, and though it has not been banned, the playground building industry agreed to stop using CCA as of December 31, 2003. Since many playground facilities have structures built years ago, the likelihood of them containing pressure treated wood with arsenic is great if it was built in the past 15 to 20 years.

The federal government is not requiring that the play structures containing arsenic be shut down, so parents should be careful when allowing their kids to play on them. According to the spokesman for the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission, children should wash their hands after playing on the toys and avoid eating while on them. Depending on how much arsenic comes off the wood, how many days and years a child plays on it and how much arsenic is swallowed will affect a child's risk of developing cancer. The greatest risk is hand to mouth transfer of arsenic from the wood.

Some people will be more affected by arsenic than other people. Since children often play on the ground and put their hands into their mouths, it is important to realize present risks and ways to prevent increased susceptibility. Arsenic from the pressure treated wood can get into the environment when rotting into the soil and washing into water sources. Many communities are beginning to remove CCA treated play structures, as well as testing the soil surrounding the structures for arsenic concentrations.

Becoming educated about lowering risk with CCA treated wood structures can help parents reduce lifetime risk of cancer for children.

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.