Seal-It Protects Playground Soil from Arsenic Time-Tested Performance

Seal-It's Solution

Over the past few years you have probably heard about, and read, articles about the health hazard potential in Pressure Treated Lumber.

One of the first that we noticed was a reprint of an American Press article done for them by Popular Mechanics titled "Best to stain treated wood", dated July 29, 2000. We quote from the article "Outdoor or pressure treated lumber is treated with chemicals to resist decay and insect attack"; further in the article the author states "lumber that has been treated has been injected with massive amounts of chemicals and water." Seal-It is not implying that their wood preservative does not take advantage of "chemicals" to achieve the same results, but, if we look at the "Material Safety Data Sheet" for Seal-It Wood Sealant, we can see no health hazard. Whereas, an article in U.S. News & World Report, September 16, 2002 "Arsenic and Barbecue", discuss health hazards related to the use of arsenic-treated wood in home decks and playground equipment. This article goes on to say "chromated copper arsenate or CCA" has been used since the 1930's to transform lesser woods into mold and insect repellant products. This article also reports that the levels of "surface" arsenic present on pressure treated wood may not diminish even after periods as long as two decades. A "wipe" test of a 15 square inch area of pressure treated wood produces levels of arsenic equal to the EPA limit for arsenic in 1 litre of drinking water, where the wood was new or old. The EPA has, according to the same article, developed a test to simulate what they feel is the greatest health risk involving the arsenic pressure treated lumber. That test involves research on how often children play outside, and how often the children engage in hand to mouth activity. The Globe and Mail newspaper, in an article "Arsenic threat lurks in playground soil" January 15, 2003 reports that a major environmental group found levels of arsenic in playground soil to be as much as 12 times the federal government of Canada guidelines. Sand was sampled within 1/2 meter of the pressure treated posts supporting the playground structures.

In two of these articles, governing bodies recommend applying a sealant to contain the arsenic within the pressure treated wood, and further to build new structures with alternate materials. The U.S. News & World Report article adds that using a sealant would be a "short-term fix", Seal-It International disagrees. Seal-It CCA Sealant will not only encase the CCA chemicals within the pressure treated wood, but will do so permanently. Seal-It CCA Sealant is a penetrating, chemically reactive product that will create a barrier surrounding the wood fibres. This reaction also has the side benefit of creating a harder, more durable construction material.