Groups Petition EPA Against CCA-Treated Wood

Danielle Jackson

Washington, D.C. -- Several environmental groups will petition the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Saturday, Dec. 22, to immediately stop the continued use of chromated copper arsenate (CCA)-treated wood in playground structures.

The petition cites high cancer risks from exposure to wood surfaces of playground equipment with CCA-treated wood, a known carcinogen. According to the groups involved, the petition is in response to reviews being conducted by the EPA to determine whether the wood should be banned for public use.

The groups also will petition the practice of allowing disposal of treated wood in unlined landfills and the use of treated wood for mulch recycling, which they say exacerbate contamination and risk factors.