Arsenic Treated Lumber
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Arsenic Treated LumberDecks, steps, play sets, picnic tables, railings-many common structures at home and school and in the community may be built with arsenic treated lumber. Knowing about the risks of exposure is the first step in protecting yourself and your family. Limiting your exposure and taking actions to seal or replace the wood is the next step. Here are some answers to frequently asked questions about arsenic treated lumber. What is Arsenic Treated Lumber?Arsenic treated lumber, also referred to as CCA (chromated copper arsenic) treated lumber, is a type of pressure treated wood. Pressure treating wood involves saturating it with a wood preservative. In the case of CCA, the wood is saturated with a solution containing 22% pure arsenic. How can I tell if my lumber is pressure treated or treated with arsenic?If you're purchasing the lumber from a lumberyard or home supply store the store staff should be able to tell you. Arsenic treated lumber is being phased out and will no longer be available for residential construction projects after December 31, 2003. If you're looking at an existing structure or lumber supply there is no sure way to tell. Pressure treated lumber is typically green tinted and may be marked or tagged with the names of the chemicals used to treat it. The Vermont Public Interest Research Group (VPIRG) recommends that if you are unsure of the origin of your pressure treated wood, to be safe you should assume all your pressure treated wood is treated with arsenic. Examples of common residential uses of arsenic treated lumber include: wood used in play structures, decks, picnic tables, landscaping timbers, residential fencing, patios, railings, docks, walkways, and boardwalks. Why is arsenic a problem?Arsenic is a naturally occurring element that is poisonous and a known carcinogen. Health effects from arsenic exposure include skin lesions, cancers of the bladder, liver kidney, lung, skin, and nasal passages, as well as brain, heart and lung disease, diabetes and reproductive problems. Arsenic related diseases typically develop slowly over many years. Exposure to arsenic is cumulative, which means it builds up in the body over time. A 12-foot long, 2-inch by 6-inch board of arsenic treated lumber contains about an ounce of arsenic, or enough to provide a lethal dose of arsenic to 250 adults. Arsenic is water soluble, meaning it dissolves readily in water. Rainwater, deck washes; even wet hands and feet can leach the arsenic out of the wood and into the soil below or into the human body in the case of bare skin contact with the wood. According to a sampling by the Environmental Working Group and the Healthy Building Network, an area of arsenic treated wood the size of a four-year-old's hand contains an average of 120 times the amount of arsenic allowed in a 6 ounce glass of water by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. If arsenic is so dangerous, why is arsenic treated wood still legal?Arsenic for use as a pesticide has long been banned. Arsenic treated wood is being phased out. In February 2002 the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a voluntary decision by the building industry to remove consumer use of new arsenic treated lumber products by December 31, 2003 in favor of new alternative wood preservatives. This effects virtually all residential uses of arsenic treated lumber including wood used in play structures, decks, picnic tables, landscaping timbers, residential fencing, patios, railings, docks, walkways, and boardwalks. By January 2004 the EPA will not allow arsenic treated lumber for any residential uses. I was planning a building project before the arsenic treated wood phase out, is it OK for me to use arsenic treated wood if I buy it before December 2003? The Vermont Public Interest Research Group recommends that you do not install any new structures made with arsenic treated wood where human contact will occur with the structure or with the soil directly below the structure. CVSWMD adopted a policy to not construct any new District facilities with arsenic treated lumber due to concerns about its effects on public health and the environment, and recommends that you consider using an alternative to arsenic treated lumber in all your new construction projects. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommends that arsenic treated lumber not be used in any new construction where the lumber is in proximity to food or animal feed. Arsenic does not move very far in the soil and is not taken up by plants, but it is not recommended for use in constructing garden beds or planting containers. Examples of arsenic treated lumber alternatives include naturally rot resistant woods available in Vermont like white cedar, tamarack, and hemlock; or manufactured products like recycled steel, recycled plastic or recycled plastic marine pilings, fiberglass or concrete. Some brands of manufactured lumber recommended by the Vermont Public Interest Research Group include Trex (www.trex.com) and ChoiceDek (www.choicedek.com). VPIRG also recommends that the recycled plastic lumber you choose does not contain PVC. I know I have arsenic treated wood structures, what should I do?If children will use the structures, the CVSWMD recommends that they be sealed at least once per year with a water-based sealant available at home supply and hardware stores. For structures that have soil underneath, CVSWMD recommends that you consider the possibility that the soil is contaminated with arsenic which has leached out of the wood through rain and snow. Arsenic does not move more than one foot through the soil, but once it is in the soil it never leaves. Rain, snow, or vegetation does not remove arsenic from the soil. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency does not recommend that arsenic treated structures be torn down or that the soils around the structures be removed. The Vermont Public Interest Research Group (VPIRG) recommends that you remove and dispose of in a lined landfill all arsenic treated structures and the soil from around them. If you are not willing to remove a structure, VPIRG recommends that you seal the structure annually, or every six months if children are using the structure, with water based latex paint. Oil based sealants are not recommended because of their toxicity. Sealants recommended by VPIRG include Bioshield, Miller Paint, and AFM Safe Coat Paints. If you have arsenic treated structures, like a deck, don't store children's toys, tools, or any items that will come into contact with humans or pets underneath them because they will become contaminated with arsenic leaching down from above. Does the arsenic ever completely wash out of the wood?No. Arsenic will continue to leach out of the wood over its life span. Washing decks and other arsenic treated wood structures with special deck washes, acids, and brighteners speeds up the release of arsenic from the wood, but does not remove it from the wood. Use of these products on arsenic treated structures is not recommended. I have decided to remove my arsenic treated wood structure, what do I do with it?Currently the state and federal government do not classify arsenic treated wood as a hazardous waste requiring special collection and disposal, although they may in the future. Rather, the state advises that arsenic treated wood, and soils from under these structures, should be disposed of in a lined landfill. Arsenic treated wood should NEVER be burned (the smoke is poisonous), buried, or disposed of in an unlined construction and demolition debris landfill. Soil can be bagged and disposed of with regular trash disposal in a lined landfill. In the CVSWMD, the CV Transfer Station (479-2450) and the WSI Landfill (244-8888) accept arsenic treated wood and contaminated soil for disposal. The Casella drop off center in Montpelier and the District Recycling Depots (Wilson, Williamstown, Bradford, and Northfield) can accept small amounts of wood and soil for disposal. For large amounts of soil and wood you may consider renting a disposal container from a company like Casella (223-7045) or WSI (800-981-5213)-this is probably the best option if you cannot haul the debris yourself. There are also waste haulers operating in the CVSWMD (listed in the resource notebook) that may be able to pick up the debris for you. Some tips for choosing a hauler:
Is it safe to handle arsenic treated wood?When handling arsenic treated wood there is always a risk of arsenic exposure. Minimize your exposure by always washing your hands (or any part of your skin that had contact with the wood) after touching arsenic treated wood. Wash children's hands after every exposure to arsenic treated wood. Never eat or smoke after handling arsenic treated wood. Those working with arsenic treated wood should wash work clothes separately from other household clothing before wearing them again. To be safe, always follow the manufacturer's guidelines and wear gloves a facemask (or dust mask) and goggles when working with arsenic treated wood. Your local hardware or building supply store may have more information on safe handling. Sawing and cutting this wood should be restricted to outdoors only. Dispose of sawdust from cutting arsenic treated wood in a lined landfill. For more information on arsenic treated wood:
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