Question

Should existing structures build from CCA-treated wood be removed?

Answer 1

There are pros and cons as to whether CCA-treated (pressure-treated) wood should be removed from existing structures, and both sides are subjective. Some of the arguments for leaving it include: *When burned, the wood can release dangerous, and sometimes, lethal fumes. *If buried in a landfill, the chemicals can soak into the ground and eventually contaminate ground water. *Removing it can expose people to arsenic *It is costly to remove an existing infrastructure that may or may not be harming people *Studies conducted within the past decade have determined structures containing CCA-treated wood pose no hazard *Studies also concluded that children who played on CCA-treated playgrounds were exposed to arsenic levels lower than those that naturally occur in drinking water Some of the arguments for removing it include: *The EPA determined that some children could face higher cancer risks from exposure to CCA-treated wood *If removed, it will need to be disposed of and, as discussed above, that creates another set of problems that could affect a community's health. A possible solution is to leave existing CCA-treated wood in place but seek viable, safe alternatives for future structures.