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Zoos across the country have banned the use of wood
treated with arsenic, saying it is unsafe for animals. But much of
the "pressure treated" wood sold in hardware stores and lumber yards
today for things like decks, picnic tables and playground equipment
is soaked in a chemical called chromated copper arsenate, which contains
arsenic.
Studies have shown that children can ingest this chemical when it
rubs off the wood and gets on their hands. Ingestion of arsenic can
lead to high blood pressure, reproductive problems and even cancer.
Luckily, retail chains like Home Depot and Lowes have responded to
pressure from environmental groups and voluntarily agreed to phase
out the sale of arsenic-treated wood over the next couple of years.
Nonetheless, many stores still have arsenic-treated wood in their
current inventory until it gets sold off.
When shopping for lumber for home improvement projects, you should
ask which types of wood were treated with arsenic and avoid purchasing
them. If you find arsenic-treated wood already in use in your home
or community, it is of course safest to replace it. But sealants are
also available that can reduce the amount of arsenic that rubs off
the wood by up to 95% if applied every couple years.
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