The WPSC agrees with the conclusions of EPA and the US Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) that existing structures constructed with CCA-treated wood present no hazard to the public.
What does ACQ treated lumber mean?
Alkaline Copper Quaternary
Pressure treated lumber is treated with Alkaline Copper Quaternary (ACQ), an environmentally friendly water-based preservative that is free of arsenic and chromium. However, ACQ treated lumber is more corrosive to metal, so the right fastener is key to a safe, long lasting deck, fence or other outdoor project.
Is CCA-treated wood safe?
The EPA has concluded that existing structures constructed with CCA-treated wood do not pose unreasonable risks to the public, and do not need to be removed or replaced. Wood treated with CCA can be still be used for commercial, industrial and some agricultural purposes.
What replaced CCA wood?
Two major alternative wood preservatives should be used instead of CCA: C-A (Copper Azole, sold under the trade name Natural Select; sometimes formulated as CBA, copper boron azole) and ACQ (Alkaline Copper Quartenary, sold under the trade names Preserve or NatureWood.)
When did they stop treating wood with arsenic?
December 31, 2003
Arsenic in Old Pressure-Treated Wood Swallowing arsenic is known to cause cancer in humans. Manufacture of CCA-treated wood for residential use was halted December 31, 2003, through an agreement between manufacturers and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
What is Wolmanized plywood?
Wolmanized® wood is poles, piles, timbers, posts, or plywood that is pressure-treated with CCA preservative to provide structural protection from termites and fungal decay. When used as recommended, CCA-treated wood is harmless to people, plants, and animals.
Is ACQ treated wood safe for vegetable gardens?
The relatively new chemical treatment ACQ (alkaline copper quaternary) is safe to use in food gardens. Some of the copper may leach over time from the lumber, but the risk to human health is considered to be low.
Why was CCA banned?
In 2001, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the EPA received several petitions to ban CCA use in playground equipment because of potential human health concerns about exposure to chemical residues from contact with the wood and surrounding soil.
What is chromated copper arsenic?
Chromated Copper Arsenate (CCA) is a treatment used in the preservation of timber. It is a combination of chromium, copper and arsenic.
What is chromated arsenical-treated wood?
Since the 1940s, wood has been pressure treated with chromated arsenicals to protect wood from rotting due to insect and microbial agent attack and wood-boring marine invertebrates. From the 1970s to the early 2000s, the majority of the wood used in outdoor residential settings was chromated arsenical-treated wood.
What is chromated copper arsenate (CCA)?
Chromated arsenicals, which include chromated copper arsenate (CCA), are a group of pesticides containing chromium, copper, and/or arsenic that protect wood against termites, fungi and other pests that can degrade or threaten the integrity of wood products.
Are chromated arsenicals dangerous to health?
Chromated arsenicals pose cancer and non-cancer health risks of concern to workers in wood treatment facilities. EPA did not find health risks of concern for the general public.
