Re: OT/Treated wood -Attention those from NC -- new rules for daycare...

[Guest guest]

Sharon,

Thanks for your excellent work in a good cause. Would you remind me, what is it

we can use to seal treated wood to make it safe®? We have a large jungle gym,

etc which I'd certainly prefer to keep rather than get rid of if possible, but

with spring coming, I need to take action!

Thanks in advance....

Abbie

OT/Treated wood -Attention those from NC -- new rules

for daycare...

For some time now I've been talking to the state's toxicologist

regarding safety and guidelines for CCA treated wood on playground

equipment. She has been very supportive of the concerns and has been

active in trying to have the CCA treated wood not only removed in NC

but nationwide too (impossible to go up against the big wood lobby

though).

The frustration I've had is my child's preschool has tons of the

stuff on the playgrounds, unsealed. They have done nothing to

protect it in spite of calls from the state toxicologist and multiple

articles given to them by me. Because of their lack of concern, the

toxicologist has proposed to the environmental health/childcare

licencing group that they make it part of licensing criteria to

properly seal all surfaces of CCA treated wood at least every 2 years

(and preferrably remove it).

The proposed rule changes are now drafted and will go before the

Health Services Commission in April. I have written a letter in

support of the rule and also asking for removal of CCA treated wood

from playgrounds.

I'm hoping that other parents in NC will do the same. Feel free to

email me with any questions.

Please send all letters to:

Ed Norman

D.E.N.R.

Division of Environmental Health

1632 Mail Service Center

Raleigh, NC 27699-1632

Thank you - Sharon

Many frequently asked questions and answers can be found at

<http://www.autism-rxguidebook.com/forums>

[Guest guest]

They haven't come out with a consensus yet, but Dr. -- the

state toxicologist I talk to says a SEMI-TRANSPARENT OIL based stain

is the best option. When you go to Lowes or Home Depot, they will

try to sell you some other stuff that has polyurethane etc. in it,

but you have to insist on the pure semi-transparent oil based stuff.

The reason is it absorbs more deeply into the wood and so isn't worn

off as fast. It's more of a pain to clean up, but it works best.

I think that's what the EPA is recommending also.

The polyurethanes and other sealants/paints may be okay, but

maintenance and reapplication is very high and frequent with those

products.

There are some websites that explain why other stains may not be

ideal, I'll have to look through my archives to see what I find.

I would definitely at this point stick with a good semi-transparent

oil based stain (Behr's from Home Depot is one that was tested and is

one of the best).

The other important thing is to make sure kids wash their hands as

soon as they are done playing and never let them eat outside anywhere

near the treated wood.

Sharon

> Sharon,

> Thanks for your excellent work in a good cause. Would you remind

me, what is it we can use to seal treated wood to make it safe®? We

have a large jungle gym, etc which I'd certainly prefer to keep

rather than get rid of if possible, but with spring coming, I need to

take action!

> Thanks in advance....

> Abbie

> OT/Treated wood -Attention those from

NC -- new rules for daycare...

>

>

> For some time now I've been talking to the state's toxicologist

> regarding safety and guidelines for CCA treated wood on playground

> equipment. She has been very supportive of the concerns and has

been

> active in trying to have the CCA treated wood not only removed in

NC

> but nationwide too (impossible to go up against the big wood lobby

> though).

> The frustration I've had is my child's preschool has tons of the

> stuff on the playgrounds, unsealed. They have done nothing to

> protect it in spite of calls from the state toxicologist and

multiple

> articles given to them by me. Because of their lack of concern,

the

> toxicologist has proposed to the environmental health/childcare

> licencing group that they make it part of licensing criteria to

> properly seal all surfaces of CCA treated wood at least every 2

years

> (and preferrably remove it).

>

> The proposed rule changes are now drafted and will go before the

> Health Services Commission in April. I have written a letter in

> support of the rule and also asking for removal of CCA treated

wood

> from playgrounds.

>

> I'm hoping that other parents in NC will do the same. Feel free to

> email me with any questions.

> Please send all letters to:

> Ed Norman

> D.E.N.R.

> Division of Environmental Health

> 1632 Mail Service Center

> Raleigh, NC 27699-1632

>

> Thank you - Sharon

>

>

>

>

> Many frequently asked questions and answers can be found at

<http://www.autism-rxguidebook.com/forums>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Sharon

Thank you for all of your hard work! From one parent to another. We

just received results form our ' first round of chelation that

showed high levels of arsenic. We plan to know go only to

metal/plastic playgrounds. Ware concernded, however, about our

deck. We by coincidence Re-stained it last summer. Will that be

good enough, do you know?

Thanks

Kate D.

> For some time now I've been talking to the state's toxicologist

> regarding safety and guidelines for CCA treated wood on playground

> equipment. She has been very supportive of the concerns and has been

> active in trying to have the CCA treated wood not only removed in NC

> but nationwide too (impossible to go up against the big wood lobby

> though).

> The frustration I've had is my child's preschool has tons of the

> stuff on the playgrounds, unsealed. They have done nothing to

> protect it in spite of calls from the state toxicologist and

multiple

> articles given to them by me. Because of their lack of concern, the

> toxicologist has proposed to the environmental health/childcare

> licencing group that they make it part of licensing criteria to

> properly seal all surfaces of CCA treated wood at least every 2

years

> (and preferrably remove it).

>

> The proposed rule changes are now drafted and will go before the

> Health Services Commission in April. I have written a letter in

> support of the rule and also asking for removal of CCA treated wood

> from playgrounds.

>

> I'm hoping that other parents in NC will do the same. Feel free to

> email me with any questions.

> Please send all letters to:

> Ed Norman

> D.E.N.R.

> Division of Environmental Health

> 1632 Mail Service Center

> Raleigh, NC 27699-1632

>

> Thank you - Sharon

[Guest guest]

Kate, that should be okay, but you probably should reseal it every

year with a semi-transparent oil based stain (in soaks in the best

and seems to last best).

Arsenic is a tough thing to get away from. The best thing you can do

is make sure your kids wash hands every time they eat and avoid

contact with pressure treated wood as much as possible. Drinking

purified water is important too (EPA standards for arsenic in

drinking water were tightened under Clinton admin, but Bush rolled

them back allowing higher levels -- levels that are certainly not

safe, I believe the number is less than 20 ppm and Clinton wanted it

undetectable).

Sharon

> > For some time now I've been talking to the state's toxicologist

> > regarding safety and guidelines for CCA treated wood on playground

> > equipment. She has been very supportive of the concerns and has

been

> > active in trying to have the CCA treated wood not only removed in

NC

> > but nationwide too (impossible to go up against the big wood lobby

> > though).

> > The frustration I've had is my child's preschool has tons of the

> > stuff on the playgrounds, unsealed. They have done nothing to

> > protect it in spite of calls from the state toxicologist and

> multiple

> > articles given to them by me. Because of their lack of concern,

the

> > toxicologist has proposed to the environmental health/childcare

> > licencing group that they make it part of licensing criteria to

> > properly seal all surfaces of CCA treated wood at least every 2

> years

> > (and preferrably remove it).

> >

> > The proposed rule changes are now drafted and will go before the

> > Health Services Commission in April. I have written a letter in

> > support of the rule and also asking for removal of CCA treated

wood

> > from playgrounds.

> >

> > I'm hoping that other parents in NC will do the same. Feel free to

> > email me with any questions.

> > Please send all letters to:

> > Ed Norman

> > D.E.N.R.

> > Division of Environmental Health

> > 1632 Mail Service Center

> > Raleigh, NC 27699-1632

> >

> > Thank you - Sharon