Thanks to Matt for an interesting cross post…
CCA-treated timber is everywhere: parks, decks, jetties even in ours homes, but how safe is it when it comes to food, drink and our children’s safety? CCA-treated timber is timber preserved with Copper Chrome Arsenate (CCA) or Chromated Copper Arsenate, as it is known in some countries, like South Africa. The copper (23-25%) and arsenic (30-37%) in CCA act as fungicides and insecticides, while the chromium (38-45%) fixes the chemicals into the wood (APVMA, 2003; Greaves 2003). The chemical mixture is injected into the wood under pressure so that the wood is saturated with the chemicals.
Of greatest concern is the potential seepage of arsenic, a known human carcinogen, onto the surfaces of CCA-treated timber from where it can be dislodged onto