CCA-Treated (Chromated Copper Arsenate) Wood

• What is CCA wood?
• What is CCA-treated wood used for?
• What does CCA-treated wood look like?
• How do I know if my deck or other outdoor wooden structures were built with CCA-treated wood?
• Can the CCA preservative leach out of treated wood?
• Does CCA-treated wood pose a risk to human health?
• How can people be exposed to the CCA preservative in wood?
• How can I reduce my exposure to the chemicals in CCA-treated wood?
• How can I protect myself when working with CCA-treated wood?
• What can I use instead of CCA-treated wood?
• What is being done about the use of CCA-treated wood?
• Should existing CCA-treated wood structures be replaced?
• What should I do if I have a structure made of CCA-treated wood?
• Will my garden be affected by CCA-treated wood around it?
• How can I dispose of CCA-treated wood in the Region of Peel?
• Where can I get more information on CCA-treated wood?

What is CCA-treated wood?

Chromated copper arsenate (CCA) is a preservative that contains chromium, copper and arsenic. CCA was commonly used in wood to protect it against damage from sun, water, insects and fungi. CCA-treated wood is also referred to as pressure treated wood. CCA-treated wood is no longer available for residential use.

What is CCA-treated wood used for?

CCA wood was often used outdoors in:

• fences
• play structures
• decks
• picnic tables
• landscaping and construction
• walkways/boardwalks
• utility and construction poles, and
• marine timbers and pilings.

What does CCA-treated wood look like?

Fresh CCA-treated wood that has not been coated or sealed has a greenish tint which fades over time. Other treated wood products are now also available on the market (e.g., ACQ – Alkaline Copper Quaternary wood preservative). They too have a greenish tint which fades over time.

How do I know if my deck or other outdoor wooden structures were built with CCA-treated wood?

If the structure was not built with redwood or cedar and if it was built prior to 2004, then it was most likely built with CCA-treated wood. If possible, check with the builder.

Can the CCA preservative leach out of treated wood?

It is possible that some CCA preservative will leach out of the treated wood onto the surface of the wood or into soil. The amount of CCA that can leach out depends on a number of things such as:

• the type of wood
• what the wood has been treated with (this could have been done by the manufacturer and/or the user)
• how long the wood has been used, and
• where the treated wood is installed (outdoors, indoors, wet or dry conditions, etc.).

If CCA-treated wood is exposed to water in damp soil, it will leach more preservative than if it is exposed to an occasional rainfall. Peel Public Health recommends avoiding the use of CCA-treated wood for building docks and in other places that may be exposed to wet conditions.

Does CCA-treated wood pose a risk to human health?

Although Health Canada has not concluded that CCA wood poses an unreasonable risk to the public or to sensitive populations such as children, it is sensible to avoid exposure to arsenic. Arsenic is a known human carcinogen and can be poisonous at high doses.

In November 2003, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission once again looked at the risk of CCA wood used in playgrounds to children’s health. This review found that a child using a CCA wood-treated playground equipment has an estimated increased lifetime risk of bladder or lung cancer of approximately 2 to 100 cases per million.

The US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) also completed a preliminary risk assessment in 2003 for children exposed to CCA-treated playsets and decks. They found that a child using bare CCA wood-treated playground equipment has an estimated increased lifetime risk of bladder or lung cancer of approximately 12 cases per million. A child with exposure to bare CCA wood-treated playground and deck equipment has an estimated increased lifetime risk of bladder or lung cancer of approximately 22 cases per million.

How can people be exposed to the CCA preservative in wood?

Exposure can occur through:

• Residues present on wood surfaces
• Soil and sand beneath the structures made of CCA-treated wood
• Hand-to-mouth activity, especially in children, after a contact with either CCA-treated wood or soil/sand in which the structures are located

How can I reduce my exposure to the chemicals in CCA-treated wood?

Health Canada and the US EPA have developed basic precautions on how to use and handle CCA wood. All individuals, especially children, should follow these precautions. Children have greater hand-to-mouth activity and may have greater exposure to CCA-treated wood through contact with play structures, decks, fences, and the soil around them.

To reduce your exposure to the chemicals in CCA-treated wood:

• Always wash your hands and other skin that comes into contact with the wood, especially before eating or drinking.
• Never burn CCA wood in open fires, stoves, fireplaces, or residential boilers.
• Do not let food touch CCA wood.
• Children should avoid playing in soil around CCA wood structures.

How can I protect myself when working with CCA-treated wood?

When working with CCA-treated wood:

• Ensure that the wood is clean and free of surface residues.
• Wear gloves and long sleeves when handling treated wood.
• Wear a dust mask, goggles, gloves, and long sleeves when sawing, sanding, shaping, or machining wood. This protection will help you avoid skin contact or inhalation of sawdust,
• Work with treated wood outdoors.
• Wash hands and other skin that comes into contact with the wood, especially before eating or drinking.
• Wash clothes after they come into contact with CCA-treated wood and wash them separately from other clothing.
• Do not use CCA-treated wood for woodchips or mulch.

What can I use instead of CCA-treated wood?

If you are planning on building a deck, fencing, walkway, picnic table or play structure, Peel Public Health recommends using an alternative to CCA-treated wood. Alkaline Copper Quaternary wood (ACQ) which does not contain arsenic is now available in stores. In addition, untreated wood (e.g., cedar, redwood) and non-wood options such as plastics, metal, and composite materials are available. Your local hardware store or lumberyard will be able to give you more information about other available options.

What is being done about the use of CCA-treated wood?

Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) is working closely with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to review the use of CCA-treated wood.

In early 2004, the US EPA stopped permitting CCA wood to be manufactured for play structures, decks, picnic tables, landscaping timbers, residential fencing, patios, and walkways/ boardwalks.

The US EPA has continued to examine CCA wood during the transition and the results of their studies should be available in 2006 or 2007. There are currently many unanswered questions regarding CCA wood, including:

• How long can pressure treated woods leach CCA?
• Does the risk of exposure to CCA preservative decrease over time?
• How effective are sealants at preventing the leaching of CCA?

Should existing CCA-treated wood structures be replaced?

The US EPA and the US Consumer Product Safety Commission have decided not to ban the use of CCA wood in playgrounds. While there is an increased risk of lung and bladder cancer to children using CCA-treated wood playground equipment, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission believes that there are other actions which may be more cost-effective and workable than the removal of all CCA structures on playgrounds.

Based upon ongoing research into alternatives to replacing structures and the position of the of the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, Peel Public Health does not currently recommend replacing existing structures made with CCA wood.

What should I do if I have a structure made of CCA-treated wood?

Studies show that using an oil or water-based, penetrating sealant or stain at least once a year can reduce exposure to arsenic from the CCA-treated wood. Oil or water-based sealants or stains that can penetrate wood surfaces are preferable to film forming products such as latex semitransparent, latex opaque, and oil-based opaque stains. Film forming products can chip or flake, requiring scraping or sanding for removal, which can increase exposure to arsenic. As a precaution, Peel Public Health supports coating CCA-treated wood structures once a year.

Will my garden be affected by CCA-treated wood around it?

CCA-treated wood used to fence gardens is not a significant source of arsenic. When soil is turned over in the garden, any arsenic that has leached into the soil is diluted. Research shows that plants absorb arsenic in small amounts.

How can I dispose of CCA-treated wood in the Region of Peel?

The Brampton Community Recycling Centre, the Battleford Community Recycling Centre in Mississauga, the Bolton Community Recycling Centre and the Caledon Public Waste and Recycling Depot will accept CCA-treated wood that is less than four feet in length. These centres are only open to the Region of Peel residents. You will be asked for a proof of residency when you drop off the wood.

Where can I get more information on CCA-treated wood?

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency information on CCA-treated wood
www.epa.gov/oppad001/reregistration/cca/

A fact sheet on CCA-treated wood from Health Canada Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA)
www.hc-sc.gc.ca/pmra-arla/english/pdf/fact/fs_cca-e.pdf

Various information on CCA-treated wood from Health Canada PMRA
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/pmra-arla/english/pubs/rev-e.html