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---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sun, 2 Jan 2000 11:45:39 -0400 (AST)
Sender: Marjorie Willison <an679@chebucto.ns.ca>
The general wisdom today seems to be that wolmanized wood and food crops
are not a good combination. The practice recommended, if wolmanized wood
is used, is to line it with plastic before adding the soil. As I
understand it, the leachate of concern is arsenic, which can be taken up
by plants.
Marjorie
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Owen,Rochelle [Dartmouth]" <Rochelle.Owen@EC.GC.CA>
Date: Mon, 10 Jan 2000 11:37:59 -0400
Hi There is a lot of documents produced on the subject from ngo's, gov,
industry, universities.
Here is a web location for Environment Canada publication on Wood
Preservatives
http://www.atl.ec.gc.ca/epb/factsheets/pesticides/wood.html
As well this is a snippet from the Health Canada publication - Health and
the Environment which is available on the net at:
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ehp/ehd/catalogue/general.htm
This snippet is on page 6-7 under the soil chapter
Wood Preservatives: Wood-preserving chemicals are commonly used in the
manufacture and treatment (coating ) of fences, decks, play equip-ment,
house foundations, barns, storage facilities, docks and other durable
wooden structures. Treatments are added to products to prevent decay, rot
and infestation by insects, such as termites. Wood preservatives can
migrate out of treated wood and waste materials into soil and may
contaminate groundwater supplies.457 In Canada, one of the most popular
wood preservatives registered for domestic use is creosote. Also used on
railway ties, electrical poles, embank-ments and cardboard, creosote is a
complex organic mixture produced from coal that contains more than 300
compounds, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which
account for up to 90% of the total mixture.198,458 Creosote is currently
under reevaluation within the Pest management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) to
address the potential for health or environmental hazards.
The PMRA has requested that all registrants of creosote revise their product
labels to incorporate exposure-reducing measures.459 In Canada, CCA
(copper-chromium-arsenate) is widely used for preserving lumber intended for
outdoor uses because of its tendency to release arsenic, CCA-treated wood,
which has a greenish tinge, should not be burned or come in contact with
soil used for growing food crops, such as garden vegetables.460,461
What You Can Do
Here are some safety tips to help reduce your exposure to wood preservatives
and other pesticides used at home 457,462 : an Always wear gloves when
handling or working with wood preservatives and other pesticides. Wash any
exposed skin with soap afterwards.
Do not use treated wood indoors.
Do not use treated wood for fuel, because it can produce toxic fumes and
ashes when it burns.Do not use treated wood to line water wells, conduits, backyard gardens or
other containers that could come into direct or indirect contact with food,
drinking water or bathing water.
To reduce skin contact, apply a sealer to treated wood used for decks, play
structures, patio furnishings, etc.
For more information about house-hold pesticides and human health, obtain
the following publications from Health Canada:
Pressure-Treated ("Preserved") Wood and Wood Preservatives; and
Weedkiller: 2,4-D.
Rochelle Owen
Community Animation Program
16th Floor, Queen Square
45 Alderney Drive
Dartmouth, N.S.
B2Y 2N6
902-426-2578 (ph)
902-426-2062 (fax)
http://www.ns.ec.gc.ca/community/
CAP Atlantic provides information, training and animation to community
groups working on issues that link human health and the environment.
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