Whitman announces transition from consumer use of treated wood containing arsenic. (Rec Room).EPA EPA eicosapentaenoic acid. EPA abbr. eicosapentaenoic acid EPA, n.pr See acid, eicosapentaenoic. EPA, n. Administrator Christie Whitman announced February 12, 2002 a voluntary decision by industry to move consumer use of treated lumber products away from a variety of pressure-treated wood pressure-treated wood, wood that has had a liquid preservative forced into it in order to protect against deterioration due to rot or insect attack. The most commonly used preservatives are chromated copper arsenate (CCA) and pentachlorophenol. that contains arsenic by December 31, 2003, in favor of new alternative wood preservatives. This transition affects virtually all residential uses of wood treated with chromated copper arsenate Chromated copper arsenate (CCA) is a wood preservative used for timber treatment, in use since the mid-1930's. It is a mix of copper, chromium, and arsenic formulated as oxides or salts. , also known as CCA (1) (Common Cryptographic Architecture) Cryptography software from IBM for MVS and DOS applications. (2) (Compatible Communications A , including wood used in play-structures, decks, picnic tables, landscaping timbers, residential fencing, patios and walkways/boardwalks. By January 2004, EPA will not allow CAA Caa See CCC. products for any of these residential uses. "This action will result in a reduction of virtually all residential uses of CCA-treated wood within less than two years," said Whitman. "Today's announcement greatly accelerates the transition to new alternatives, responding to market place demands for wood products that do not contain CCA." "This transition will substantially reduce the time it could have taken to go through the traditional regulatory process. This is a responsible action by the industry," Whitman continued. "Today's action will ensure that future exposures to arsenic are minimized in residential settings. The companies deserve credit for coming forward in a voluntary way to undergo a conversation and retooling of their plants as quickly as possible. The transition to new alternatives will provide consumers with a greater choice for their building needs." During the past several months, CCA-treated wood has been the subject of an EPA evaluation under provisions of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (or FIFRA), 7 U.S.C. 136 et seq. is a United States federal law that set up the basic US system of pesticide regulation to protect applicators, consumers and the environment. , which directs EPA to periodically reevaluate older pesticides to ensure that they meet current safety standards Safety standards are standards designed to ensure the safety of products, activities or processes, etc. They may be advisory or compulsory and are normally laid down by an advisory or regulatory body that may be either voluntary or statutory. . The Agency is continuing to proceed with a risk assessment. EPA is also continuing to evaluate public comments and input from an external scientific review panel on methodologies to perform a risk assessment for residential settings and potential exposure to children from CAA. More information on the announcement is available at www.epg.gov/pesticides/ citizens/1file.htm |
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