Arsenic in Wood & Water

Arsenic can be released into the environment through natural activities such as volcanic action, erosion of rocks and forest fires, or through human actions. Approximately 90 percent of industrial arsenic in the U.S. is currently used as a wood preservative, but arsenic is also used in paints, dyes, metals, drugs, soaps and semi-conductors. High arsenic levels can also come from certain fertilizers and animal feeding operations.

Arsenic in Drinking Water

Arsenic is a semi-metal element in the periodic table. It is odorless and tasteless. It enters drinking water supplies from natural deposits in the earth or from agricultural and industrial practices. 

Non-cancer effects can include thickening and discoloration of the skin, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting; diarrhea; numbness in hands and feet; partial paralysis; and blindness. Arsenic has been linked to cancer of the bladder, lungs, skin, kidney, nasal passages, liver, and prostate.

EPA has set the arsenic standard for drinking water at .010 parts per million (10 parts per billion) to protect consumers served by public water systems from the effects of long-term, chronic exposure to arsenic.  Water systems must comply with this standard by January 23, 2006, providing additional protection to an estimated 13 million Americans.

Arsenic in Water PDF

Arsenic in Wood PDF

Arsenic in Wood

Arsenic is a notoriously deadly poison, but for twenty years it was the most common preservative applied to wood used to build playgrounds and outdoor decks in neighborhoods across the United States. As a result, these structures, where children and families play and eat, are the largest source of arsenic exposure for an overwhelming majority of Americans.

This source of arsenic exposure will now be virtually abolished as a result of a major victory won by the Healthy Building Network and its allies in 2001. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) halted the manufacture and sale of arsenic-treated wood for most residential uses as of January 1, 2004.

What to do if you have arsenic wood at home

Of course the best way to protect yourself and your family from exposure to arsenic wood is to remove the arsenic (CCA) wood from use and dispose of it properly. For many people however, this is simply not economically viable. There are still a number of things you can do to reduce your family's exposure to arsenic wood:

• If you can't completely replace your deck or play-set with an arsenic free wood alternative, consider replacing "high-contact" areas like handrails on decks and play-sets, or the surface deck-boards themselves.
  
• Seal the remaining areas every six months with a penetrating deck treatment but avoid using "deck washing" products as some of them can convert the chemicals to more toxic compounds.
  
• Never sand arsenic treated wood. This spreads arsenic laden wood dust and increases exposure. If the wood surface has become rough and splinters are an issue, we strongly recommend replacing the structure with a less toxic alternative. Remember, splinters from arsenic wood can be very dangerous.
  
• Always make sure children wash their hands immediately after playing on an arsenic treated playset and never allow them to eat on a arsenic treated picnic table without a tablecloth.
  
• Do not allow your children to play in the soil or sand below or around arsenic treated wood structures. The arsenic leaches into the surrounding soil and contaminates the soil. Do not store toys underneath an arsenic treated structure.

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Although we believe that this information is accurate as it is compiled from professional sources, please verify this information on your own before relying on it as your only source of knowledge to base any decisions on.