May 2006 | Co-op America’s Living Green

Safe Outdoor Decks

Dear Co-op America, I’ve heard that outdoor decks may be treated with arsenic. Is this true? What should I do with the deck on my home, built in the 1980s?

— Jim B., E-mail

JIM, YOU’RE RIGHT to be concerned. In 2001, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) and the Healthy Building Network (HBN) drew attention to the problem of pressure-treated wood, which was widely used in playgrounds, decks, and outdoor furniture. To kill insects and prevent rot, this wood was treated with chromium copper arsenate (CCA) — or arsenic, a known carcinogen. EWG (202-667-6982, ewg.org) estimates that a 40-pound child playing daily on CCA-treated wood could be exposed to five times the arsenic allowed under EPA drinking water standards. According to EWG, arsenic sticks to children’s hands when they play on treated wood, and is absorbed through the skin and ingested when they put their hands in their mouths.

EWG and HBN (healthybuilding.net) petitioned the U.S. government to ban arsenic-treated wood in playground equipment and review its safety for use in other consumer items. In 2002, the EPA announced a voluntary agreement with the wood-treatment industry to cease sales of CCA-treated wood for most residential uses by the end of 2004.

Since you have a wooden deck built before 2005, you may want to get a test kit from EWG to see if it contains arsenic. If it does, the organization advises replacing it, or at least replacing parts such as steps and handrails that are heavily used. EWG also recommends the following:

• Seal the wood at least every six months with standard penetrating deck treatments. (AFM, 800-239-0321 or afmsafecoat.com, is one company offering less-toxic sealants.)

• Wash your hands and your children’s hands after every exposure.

• Keep children and pets away from soil beneath and immediately surrounding an arsenic-treated deck, and don’t store items underneath it.

• Don’t pressure-wash or sand arsenic-treated wood — both will release contaminated particles. If your deck has become rough, keep kids away — the splinters can be dangerous.

• Don’t use commercial “deck washing” solutions. These can convert chemicals on the wood to a more toxic form.

If you decide to remove a CCA-treated wood deck, ask your local waste disposal authority how to deal with it properly. This wood shouldn’t be burned because it will release toxins. Also, test the soil near the deck to see if it’s contaminated. EWG has test kits available. If you want to replace it, consider using eco-friendly FSC-certified wood — which comes from sustainably managed forests — or recycled plastic lumber.

Living Green is brought to you by Co-op America, a DC-based nonprofit that provides green living, purchasing, and investing tips and resources. To join Co-op America and get a free copy of the National Green Pages™ directory of green businesses, contact 800-58-GREEN , www.coopamerica.org. If you have a question for Living Green, e-mail.

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