In the News
Bye Bye CAA-Treated Wood!
Jan 14, 2004
By Jon C.A. DeKeles |
Author
Bio
Wood preservatives have been around over 100 years, but it now band for residential use. What is the real story?
|
There has been a lot of discussion about preassure treated wood in the LSOL.com live chat room. Looks like we Large Scalers are going to have to look for an alternative this year. Wood preservatives have been around over 100 years. Pressure treated wood help the wood to last longer when placed in an enviromentally unfriendly area. It helps to protect the wood against insects and against decay. Pressure treated wood is created by forcing some type of preservative solution into the wood cells using vacuum/pressure and a thermal process. One of the preservatives used, Chromated Copper Arsenate, contains arsenic. The EPA announced that by January 2004 it would no longer allow CCA-treated wood for residential uses. The Home Depot announced a program back in Feburary 2003 to phase out chromated copper arsenate (CCA) as a preservative in its pressure-treated wood products.
Get all the details about this decision in our LSOL.com FAQ section
New Wood Preservatives Also read this excellent article from The Tauton Press.
Does Pressure-Treated Wood Belong in Your Garden?
In its announcement, the EPA said it ?has not concluded that CCA-treated wood poses unreasonable risks to the public for existing CCA-treated wood being used around or near homes or from wood that remains available in stores. EPA does not believe there is any reason to remove or replace CCA-treated structures, including decks or playground equipment. EPA is not recommending that existing structures or surrounding soils be removed or replaced.? What this does mean though is that you will not be able to get CAA-treated wood to use around your home for your Large Scale railroad.
If you are looking for alteratives to treated wood, check out plastic lumber. You can cut, nail, screw, drill, turn, and router plastic lumber with standard wood working tools. Plastic lumber will soften at 180F with a melting point of 435F. No product distortions will occur within the service temperature range of -25F to 125F. Although it has a higher kindling point than wood and is self extinguishing when flame is removed, plastic lumber, like wood, will burn when exposed to a combustion source for a long period. Plastic Lumber Plastic Lumberyard It's Recycled Plastic Lumber Depot Plastic Lumber Trade Association If you would like the other side of the infomational coin on CAA-Treated wood check out the Evaluation of Comments on CCA-Treated Wood by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) The Wood Preservative Science Council represents wood preservative manufacturers. At their web site you will find information presented from their scientists about the facts regarding exposure to CCA-Treated wood. So which is right and which is wrong? You have the final decision, but you won't be able to find CAA-Treated wood in your store for local hardware store for much longer.
Top of Page
|
