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Home › Articles › Safety › Poison on the Playground

Poison on the Playground

Should Parents Be Concerned About Treated Wood?

By C.J. Johnson

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Research Results
CPSC researchers determined that hand-to-mouth behavior is the primary source of exposure to arsenic from CCA-treated wood play sets. Young children who often put their hands in their mouths ingest the arsenic directly from their hands or indirectly when they touch food or toys, which are then placed in their mouths.

They also determined that there are no known risks of developing skin cancer from touching CCA-treated wood, and there are no known risks from inhaling CCA fumes while playing on the structures.

After reviewing the findings from their research, Ken P. Giles of the CPSC believes there is an increased risk of cancer for children who frequently play on CCA-treated play sets. "CPSC's study showed that a series of 'exposure' steps can make it possible for a child to get enough arsenic over a few years of exposure to have an increased lifetime cancer risk," Giles says.

Giles explains that for most federal agencies, the risk level of concern is one in a million. "If the risk is less than two in a million, we aren't concerned," he says. "However, if it is more than a one in a million, we are concerned. Children who play on CCA-treated playground wood are at an increased lifetime cancer risk ranging from two in a million to 100 in a million. In other words, there is a measureable increased lifetime cancer risk for children who spend time on CCA-treated wood."

Although they have determined there is an increased risk of lung or bladder cancer from frequently contact with CCA-treated wood, to their knowledge there have been no reported cases of lung or bladder cancer in relation to CCA.

Parents need to remain calm when considering the real impact of CCA on their child's health. "Don't panic," says Giles. "The simplest, easiest thing to do is make your kids wash their hands with soap and water after every time they play on the CCA wood. And don't let the kids eat food while playing on the playground, because they won't wash hands and will transfer some arsenic." He also reminds parents that not every child who plays on a CCA-treated wood will contract cancer.

Environmental Protection Agency

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