- Home Test Kits for Quick Identification of Arsenic-Treated Wood
- Non-Toxic, Easy to Use, Quick Results
- Arsenic is a Known Carcinogen and Causes Cancer
- For Determining if Pressure Treated Wood Contains CCA,
ACZA, and other-Arsenic Based Chemicals
- Arsenic causes lung, bladder, and skin
cancer in humans, and may also cause
other cancers including kidney, prostate,
and nasal passage cancer
- For over 30 years, arsenic-based chemicals,
such as CCA (Chromated Copper Arsenate),
have been used to increase the life span of
outdoor wood. In 2004, a phase-out began
to remove arsenic treated lumber out of the
consumer market to minimize human contact
with arsenic.
- Arsenic treated lumber is used for decks,
playgrounds, fences, picnic tables, mulch,
etc. While the phase-out will eventually
remove this wood from the residential
market, the arsenic treated wood has a life
span of 10-35 years
- Arsenic sticks to children’s hands when they
play on treated wood, it is absorbed
through the skin and ingested when they put
their hands in their mouths
By using our quick and inexpensive test kits, you can
determine if your wood contains arsenic. If the
wood contains arsenic, you can seal it or replace
with a safe alternative. Here are some non-arsenic
wood alternatives:
determine if your wood contains arsenic. If the
wood contains arsenic, you can seal it or replace
with a safe alternative. Here are some non-arsenic
wood alternatives:
- ACQ - Ammoniacal Copper Quaternary. An
alternate wood pressure treatment widely marketed
as ACQ Preserve and ACQ Preserve Plus by
Chemical Specialties www.treatedwood.com - CBA - Copper Boron Azole a newer alternate wood
pressure treatment just becoming available in the US
lumber yards. Sold as Wolmanized Natural Select by
Wolman www.naturalselect.com - Boron – Borate based treatments can be field applied
to wood. For use where wood is protected from
weather and water www.borax.com - Pest resistant wood – Redwood and cedar are
naturally pest resistant. Seek wood that has been
certified as sustainably harvested by an FSC certifier,
if possible - Plastic – A wide range of composites made from
recycled polyethylene plastic and wood or other
cellulose fibers are on the market. ChoiceDek by
Advanced Environmental Recycling www.choicedek.
com and Nexwood www.nexwood.com - Seal it - If you can’t replace it, thoroughly coat it at
least every two years (annually or better in high traffic
areas) with a waterproof sealant such as
polyurethane or an oil based penetrating sealer.
| Why Test Pressure Treated Wood for Arsenic? |
| What If My Wood Contains Arsenic? |
© 2009 Gaia Dynamics, LLC All Rights Reserved
The Environmental Working Group performed a study that showed that 1
out of every 500 children who regularly play on swing sets and decks made
from arsenic treated wood, or one child in an average size elementary
school, will develop lung or bladder cancer later in life as a result of these
exposures
out of every 500 children who regularly play on swing sets and decks made
from arsenic treated wood, or one child in an average size elementary
school, will develop lung or bladder cancer later in life as a result of these
exposures
| What Exactly Are the Dangers of Arsenic Treated Wood? |
Many communities, such as Huntington Beach, CA, have outdoor bonfires,
where scrap would is burned. Crowds that gather around arsenic treated
wood that is being burned are exposed to Arsine gas, which is toxic.
Additionally, burning any pressure treated wood that is chemically treated
with CCA, ACZA, or other arsenic-based chemicals in your backyard or on
a construction site can expose one to arsine gas.
where scrap would is burned. Crowds that gather around arsenic treated
wood that is being burned are exposed to Arsine gas, which is toxic.
Additionally, burning any pressure treated wood that is chemically treated
with CCA, ACZA, or other arsenic-based chemicals in your backyard or on
a construction site can expose one to arsine gas.
What does the Consumer Product Safety Commission have to say?
Follow this link to their fact sheet.
Follow this link to their fact sheet.
| We Are Not the Only Ones Concerned with Arsenic: |
"In less than two weeks, an average 5-year-old
playing on an arsenic-treated playset would
exceed the lifetime cancer risk considered
acceptable under federal pesticide law."
Follow Link to WebMD Here
playing on an arsenic-treated playset would
exceed the lifetime cancer risk considered
acceptable under federal pesticide law."
Follow Link to WebMD Here
"CCA-treated wood can be hazardous to human
health because arsenic is classified as a known
carcinogen."
Follow Link to Alliance For Healthy Homes
health because arsenic is classified as a known
carcinogen."
Follow Link to Alliance For Healthy Homes
"Arsenic has the potential to affect all organ
systems. It has been strongly associated with lung
cancer and skin cancer, and may also contribute
to the development of other types of cancer."
Follow Link to NaturalNews.com
systems. It has been strongly associated with lung
cancer and skin cancer, and may also contribute
to the development of other types of cancer."
Follow Link to NaturalNews.com
"Arsenic is classified as a "known human
carcinogen" by the U.S. EPA and the World
Health Organization, and children are at greater
risk from arsenic"
Follow Link to Environmental Working Group
carcinogen" by the U.S. EPA and the World
Health Organization, and children are at greater
risk from arsenic"
Follow Link to Environmental Working Group
"After evidence emerged that it could cause
cancer in humans, the EPA banned the
manufacture and sale of arsenic-treated wood"
Follow Link to CNN.com
cancer in humans, the EPA banned the
manufacture and sale of arsenic-treated wood"
Follow Link to CNN.com
| Caution! Be sure to wear gloves and a dust mask to prevent inhaling any wood dust, as this contains toxic properties if the wood has been treated with Arsenic |