Negative Consequences of Burning Pressure Treated Lumber

Pressure treated lumber is also known as CCA-treated wood. CCA stands for chromated copper arsenate. The lumber is impregnated with CCA to make it resistant to moisture, fungus and insects. Pressure treated lumber is often used to make playground equipment, picnic tables, decks, fencing, gazebos, edging used in the garden and wherever a wood structure is used that needs protection from decay. While CCA does prevent lumber deterioration, it also poses health risks to people, according to Environment and Human Health, Inc.

Description

• Pressure treated wood is injected with a pressurized solution that contains chromium, copper and arsenic. CCA-treated lumber is the green-tinged wood found in lumberyards and home centers throughout the United States. Copper is what gives the wood its greenish tinge. The chemical solution is water based which is why the lumber usually feels damp. CCA lumber has been used since the 1940s, and since the 1970s most lumber used for residential applications is CCA-treated. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, CCA-treated lumber is no longer produced for most residential settings.

Burning Pressure Treated Lumber

• Arsenic is released into the air when burning pressure treated lumber. Exposure becomes substantial because the resulting ash is highly toxic, making the product difficult to dispose of. Arsenic causes cancer and many other serious health problems, according to the American Cancer Society.

Arsenic

• Arsenic is a natural element found in water, air, soil, rocks, animals and plants. It is also released into the environment from industrial and agricultural applications. Arsenic is generally part of chemical compounds that fit into one of two groups: inorganic compounds and organic compounds. Inorganic compounds are combined with chlorine, iron, oxygen and sulfur. Organic compounds work in combination with carbon and other atoms. Inorganic arsenic compounds are the most toxic and are found in some pressure treated woods, according to the American Cancer Society.

Short-term Exposure

• Short-term exposure to arsenic can cause a wide range of health problems. Short-term exposure and breathing in high levels of arsenic may cause irritated lungs, sore throat, stomach ache, diarrhea, cramping with muscle weakness, rashes and blood vessel damage resulting in bruising.

Long-term and Chronic Exposure

• Long-term exposure to arsenic can cause the same health problems as short-term exposure and result in irregular heartbeat, kidney and liver damage, fatigue and a greater risk of infections due to a shortage of red and white blood cells. Chronic arsenic exposure causes skin changes such as darkened skin patches and a thickening of skin on the palms and soles. High enough amounts of arsenic exposure can be fatal, notes the American Cancer Society.