Toxic CCA Treated Wood Mulch Being Used On Playgrounds

Chromated copper arsenate (CCA) is a water-soluble inorganic pesticide most commonly used as a wood preservative to make it resistant to attack by termites and fungi that cause decay. The wood is dipped in a solution of CCA and subjected to vacuum pressure to force penetration of CCA into the wood. Wood treated with CCA is used widely in outdoor products such as decks, playground wood chips & equipment, picnic tables, garden-bed borders etc. 

Newly CCA-treated wood products may have some pesticide residue left on the wood from the treatment process. Because CCA is water-soluble, rainwater can seep in and leach CCA onto the wood surface. Cracking of the wood as it ages speeds up the leaching process. The CCA residue can be wiped or dislodged from the wood surface and can stick to hands or clothing from contact with the wood products.

Since CCA can be leached from CCA-treated wood by rainwater and CCA-Treated Wood weathering, the soil beneath and adjacent to CCA-treated wood products has been shown to be contaminated by arsenic, chromium, and copper. When wood structures are built with CCA-treated wood was coated with a waterproof sealant the soil underneath had lower concentrations of the metals.

Young children are more at risk of exposure to CCA because they tend to spend more time playing outdoors, and because they have frequent hand to-mouth activities. When playing on playground equipment or wood chips with CCA-treated wood, they can be exposed to CCA by touching the CCA leachate on the wood products with their hands and then inadvertently ingesting the CCA on their hands by hand-to-mouth activity. The amount of CCA leached on the surface of the wood depends upon the type of wood and the age of the products. The amount ingested is also dependent upon the frequency of hand-to-mouth activity. Children may also be exposed to CCA in contaminated soil when playing underneath these wood playground structures by touching the contaminated soil with their hands and then placing them in their mouths.

CCA leachate contains arsenic, chromium, and copper. Exposure to Arsenic information suggests that exposure to the arsenic in CCA-treated wood poses the greatest potential health risk. However, there is great uncertainty
regarding the exposure dose that results from contact with CCA-treated wood. 

How To Prevent Exposure to CCA?

Do not allow children to play on or under CCA-treated wood chips or playground structures and use alternative materials for playground surfacing & equipment. 

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