EPA Recommends Sealing CCA Playsets

Stains and sealants can reduce the cancer risk posed by decks and playground equipment treated with chromated copper arsenate (CCA), according to preliminary results from a study being undertaken by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. “Oil- or water-based stains that can penetrate wood surfaces are preferable to products such as paint,” according to the report, “because paints and other film-formers can chip or flake, requiring scraping or sanding for removal, which can increase a consumer’s exposure to arsenic.” The full report is expected by the end of 2005. For details, visit www.epa.gov/oppad001/reregistration/cca/sealant_qa.htm. For more information on CCA, see

EBN Vol. 6, No. 3 and

Vol. 13, No. 2.