Industry Phasing Out Arsenic-Treated LumberArsenic-treated lumber no...

Industry Phasing Out Arsenic-Treated Lumber

Arsenic-treated lumber no longer will be available for residential use after Dec. 31, 2003, according to an announcement by Environmental Protection Agency administrator Christie Whitman.

Whitman said the wood-treating industry has voluntarily decided to phase out the use of chromated copper arsenate, or CCA, which contains inorganic arsenic, as a preservative for most residential uses. The move affects virtually all residential uses of CCA-treated wood, including play structures, decks, picnic tables, landscaping timbers, residential fencing, patios and walkways.

The decision follows controversy surrounding the use of CCA-treated lumber in residential settings, with critics claiming it poses a health risk. The nearly two-year conversion to alternative wood preservatives will provide the industry with the time it needs to retool and convert treatment plants with “minimal economic disruption” to the industry, the EPA says.

Manufacturers expect production of CCA-treated lumber for the affected residential uses to drop by up to 25% this year.

The EPA has not concluded that CCA-treated wood poses unreasonable risks to the public. It is not recommending that existing structures or surrounding soil be removed or replaced. For more information about the wood decision, visit the EPA site at www.epa.gov/pesticides/citizens/1file.htm.