Fwd: CYBERPARK: Dangers of Treated Wood in Playgrounds and Parks

Some more recent back up on treated wood...

Best wishes,
Adam Honigman
<< bj:   CYBERPARK: Dangers of Treated Wood in Playgrounds and Parks
 Date:  2/10/03 3:25:59 PM Eastern Standard Time
 From:  Parkslands@aol.com
 Reply-to:  cyberpark@treebranch.com
 To:    cyberpark@treebranch.com (CYBERPARK Mailing List)
 
 The following article further affirms the concerns raised by Mike Steffens 
 and other members of this listserv and a need for continued public awareness.
 
 Ken Fitch
 FPPL
 =========================================================
 For Research Purposes Only: (Not for Distribution)
 
 
 http://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/08/health/08WOOD.html
 
 
 Government Report Says Wood Playsets Pose a Cancer Risk 
 
 
 
       February 8, 2003
       Government Report Says Wood Playsets Pose a Cancer Risk
       By JENNIFER 8. LEE
 
 
       WASHINGTON, Feb. 7 — Scientists at the Consumer Products Safety 
 Commission 
       said today that children playing on millions of outdoor wood 
playground 
 
       sets nationwide face an increased risk of bladder and lung cancer from 
       arsenic exposure.
 
       The report recommends that children wash their hands after playing on 
       wooden playground sets and also not eat in the vicinity of the wood.
       The report is the first acknowledgment by the federal government that 
       there are health risks associated with pesticide-treated wood that has 
       been in wide use in residential settings such as playgrounds and decks 
       since the 1970's. Since the 1930's, residential wood has commonly been 
       treated with a pesticide, known as chromated copper arsenate, or 
 C.C.A., 
       to prevent rotting. This pesticide contains arsenic, a known 
 carcinogen, 
       which bleeds from the wood. Young children can ingest the arsenic when 
       they put their hands to their mouths or when they touch food or toys 
 which 
       are then placed in their mouths.
 
       The study projects that between 2 to 100 children out of one million 
 will 
       get bladder and lung cancer from their exposure to the arsenic. 
 Generally, 
       the threshold of disease for government concern over toxins is one in 
 one 
       million individuals being affected. The study notes that cancer can 
 take 
       decades to develop, so it based its conclusions on previous scientific 
       studies of arsenic exposure.
 
       "It's important the government has said this because people need to 
 know 
       their arsenic-treated playsets are hazardous for their children," said 
       Richard Wiles, a spokesman for the Environmental Working Group, an 
       organization which has petitioned to ban the pesticide in the wood.
 
       There have been environmental concerns about the pesticide since the 
       mid-1980's. At that time, the government considered banning the 
       pesticide-treated wood, but decided to allow industry to launch a 
 consumer 
       education program on its risks.
 
       Last year, the Environmental Protection Agency and companies reached 
an 
 
       agreement to phase out the pesticide-treated wood products by the end 
 of 
       2003. But the E.P.A. said it saw no need for consumers to remove 
 existing 
       structures that used the wood. The agency is conducting its own study 
 on 
       the risks associated with the wood.
 
       The commission's report was an internal study in response to a 
petition 
 on 
       banning wooden playground sets by environmental groups in 2001. The 
 study 
       will be among factors that will be considered by the three 
 commissioners 
       at a March 12 hearing.
 
       The Consumer Products Safety Commission and the E.P.A. are jointly 
       studying various sealants to help mitigate the risks of arsenic 
 exposure.
       Hal Stratton, the chairman of the safety commission, said that it 
would 
 
       weigh the different perspectives from industry and environmental 
groups 
 
       before making a decision on what to do about the playground sets. This 
       could range from recommending regular application of sealant to 
removal 
 of 
       the existing playground sets.
 
       Wooden decks generally are also treated with the pesticide. But, 
       commission scientists concentrated their warning on playground sets 
 since 
       they are used by children. 
 
       Playground sets that are sold in 2004 will not be at risk, because of 
 the 
       agreed upon gradual phase-out of the pesticide wood. Some playground 
       companies are already using wood treated with arsenic-free 
 preservatives. 
       In addition, some woods, such as redwood and cedar, are naturally 
       rot-resistant and are not treated with the pesticide. Playground sets 
 made 
       of metal and plastic do not have any arsenic-based risks. 
 
       But it is difficult to recognize wood treated with the arsenic-based 
       pesticide. The study recommends calling the manufacturers to check. 
But 
 
       because pesticide-treated wood was so popular, the study recommends 
 that 
       consumers should assume the wood is pesticide-treated unless they know 
       otherwise. 
 
       The commission recommends that consumers not burn the 
pesticide-treated 
 
       wood in open fires or in the furnace, as that releases arsenic into 
 air, 
       water and soil. Instead, people should contact their local E.P.A. 
 office 
       or local government to find out how to appropriately dispose of the 
 wood.
 
 
       Copyright 2003 The New York Times Company 
 
 
 The following article further affirms the concerns raised by Mike Steffens 
and other members of this listserv and a need for continued public awareness .
 
 Ken Fitch
 FPPL >>
--- Begin Message ---
  • Subject: CYBERPARK: Dangers of Treated Wood in Playgrounds and Parks
  • From: P*@aol.com
  • Date: Mon, 10 Feb 2003 14:43:34 EST
The following article further affirms the concerns raised by Mike Steffens and other members of this listserv and a need for continued public awareness.

Ken Fitch
FPPL
=========================================================
For Research Purposes Only: (Not for Distribution)


http://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/08/health/08WOOD.html


Government Report Says Wood Playsets Pose a Cancer Risk



      February 8, 2003
      Government Report Says Wood Playsets Pose a Cancer Risk
      By JENNIFER 8. LEE


      WASHINGTON, Feb. 7 — Scientists at the Consumer Products Safety Commission
      said today that children playing on millions of outdoor wood playground
      sets nationwide face an increased risk of bladder and lung cancer from
      arsenic exposure.

      The report recommends that children wash their hands after playing on
      wooden playground sets and also not eat in the vicinity of the wood.
      The report is the first acknowledgment by the federal government that
      there are health risks associated with pesticide-treated wood that has
      been in wide use in residential settings such as playgrounds and decks
      since the 1970's. Since the 1930's, residential wood has commonly been
      treated with a pesticide, known as chromated copper arsenate, or C.C.A.,
      to prevent rotting. This pesticide contains arsenic, a known carcinogen,
      which bleeds from the wood. Young children can ingest the arsenic when
      they put their hands to their mouths or when they touch food or toys which
      are then placed in their mouths.

      The study projects that between 2 to 100 children out of one million will
      get bladder and lung cancer from their exposure to the arsenic. Generally,
      the threshold of disease for government concern over toxins is one in one
      million individuals being affected. The study notes that cancer can take
      decades to develop, so it based its conclusions on previous scientific
      studies of arsenic exposure.

      "It's important the government has said this because people need to know
      their arsenic-treated playsets are hazardous for their children," said
      Richard Wiles, a spokesman for the Environmental Working Group, an
      organization which has petitioned to ban the pesticide in the wood.

      There have been environmental concerns about the pesticide since the
      mid-1980's. At that time, the government considered banning the
      pesticide-treated wood, but decided to allow industry to launch a consumer
      education program on its risks.

      Last year, the Environmental Protection Agency and companies reached an
      agreement to phase out the pesticide-treated wood products by the end of
      2003. But the E.P.A. said it saw no need for consumers to remove existing
      structures that used the wood. The agency is conducting its own study on
      the risks associated with the wood.

      The commission's report was an internal study in response to a petition on
      banning wooden playground sets by environmental groups in 2001. The study
      will be among factors that will be considered by the three commissioners
      at a March 12 hearing.

      The Consumer Products Safety Commission and the E.P.A. are jointly
      studying various sealants to help mitigate the risks of arsenic exposure.
      Hal Stratton, the chairman of the safety commission, said that it would
      weigh the different perspectives from industry and environmental groups
      before making a decision on what to do about the playground sets. This
      could range from recommending regular application of sealant to removal of
      the existing playground sets.

      Wooden decks generally are also treated with the pesticide. But,
      commission scientists concentrated their warning on playground sets since
      they are used by children.

      Playground sets that are sold in 2004 will not be at risk, because of the
      agreed upon gradual phase-out of the pesticide wood. Some playground
      companies are already using wood treated with arsenic-free preservatives.
      In addition, some woods, such as redwood and cedar, are naturally
      rot-resistant and are not treated with the pesticide. Playground sets made
      of metal and plastic do not have any arsenic-based risks.

      But it is difficult to recognize wood treated with the arsenic-based
      pesticide. The study recommends calling the manufacturers to check. But
      because pesticide-treated wood was so popular, the study recommends that
      consumers should assume the wood is pesticide-treated unless they know
      otherwise.

      The commission recommends that consumers not burn the pesticide-treated
      wood in open fires or in the furnace, as that releases arsenic into air,
      water and soil. Instead, people should contact their local E.P.A. office
      or local government to find out how to appropriately dispose of the wood.


      Copyright 2003 The New York Times Company --- End Message ---
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