Treated-wood woes - Watch out for pressure-treated products

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Treated-wood woes

Watch out for pressure-treated products

_http://www.newsreview.com/chico/Content?oid=925397_

(http://www.newsreview.com/chico/Content?oid=925397)

By Lori Brown

 

The right stuff

 

Selecting building materials is vital to sustainable design because of the

environmental impacts associated with processing and transportation. Actually

seeing how products are made might make us reconsider using them in our green

buildings and homes.

 

Otto von Bismarck, a 19th-century aristocrat, once said, **The less people

know about how sausages and laws are made, the better they’ll sleep at

night.**

 

He*s right, but in my experience pressure-treated wood and particle board

should be added to his list (although I’m glad I know the whole story).

Pressure treatment is a chemical process in which wood is placed inside a

closed

cylinder. Vacuum and pressure are then applied to force preservatives into it.

The chemicals help protect the wood from termites, other insects and fungal

decay.

 

Toxic treatment

 

Pressure-treated lumber contains some of the most potent cancer agents, such

as chromated copper arsenate, alkaline copper quat, micronized copper quat,

copper azole and sodium borates. Classified as waterborne preservatives,

these chemicals primarily are found in treated lumber used in residential,

commercial and industrial structures. Chromated copper arsenate (CCA) contains

chromium, copper and arsenic (yikes). The chemicals are what give treated

lumber

a green color, which goes to show that just because something is green doesn’

t make it good for the environment!

 

When pressure-treated wood is exposed to the environment—or buried into the

ground—it poses a threat to human health and the environment by allowing

toxins to leach into the surrounding soil and water. Obviously, it should never

be burned.

 

More than 90 percent of outdoor wooden structures are made with

pressure-treated wood. It is used frequently for fences, raised garden beds,

formwork for

patios, borders, mow strips, decks, picnic tables, pet houses and even

children’s play equipment. In fact, nearly all wooden playground equipment

has

been treated with toxic chemicals. This is why it is highly recommended that

children wash their hands thoroughly with soap and water after coming in

contact

with it.

 

Other options

 

Alternatives to pressure-treated wood depend on the project. The best for

outdoor applications—such as decks and play sets—is to use redwood, which

is

more expensive but never needs sealing or staining. Redwood*s aesthetic appeal

is undeniably greater than other lumber and building materials, and its

resistance to decay and insects make it well worth the added expense.

 

There are several recycled rubber and plastic garden borders on the market.

For raised planters, you can use recycled wood and plastic lumber. Look for

wood treated by TimberSIL, too. Instead of impregnating the lumber with a mix

of nasty chemicals and heavy metals, this product is treated at very high

heat with sodium silicate (glass).

 

Take the time

 

Locally, try talking to the good folks at Meek’s Lumber & Hardware. They

offer several alternatives using composite materials for decking that resemble

natural wood, have lower maintenance requirements and incredibly long

lifetimes. It is possible to avoid using treated lumber; it just requires a

little

extra time investigating other options that are right for your project. For

your health and the protection of our environment, consider it time well spent.

 

 

 

 

 

 

What we do for ourselves dies with us.

What we do for others and the world remains and is immortal.

Albert Pine

 

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