Department of
Health
INFORMATION SHEET
14 January 2005
Bushfires and Environmental Health
PUBLIC HEALTH DANGER
Ash from CCA-treated timber
CCA-treated timber, if burnt, produces an ash with residual arsenic,
chromium and copper. Studies have shown the concentration of some of
these chemicals in such ash to be as much as 10% by weight. Arsenic is
the most toxic of these three chemicals.
CCA timber is commonly used for pergolas, decking, cubby houses,
claddings, posts, gates, animal enclosures, and landscaping timbers.
Many of these structures may have been destroyed or damaged by the
recent bushfires creating a hazard.
Children, pets and farm animals should be excluded from land where CCA
ash is present. Animals will want to lick or eat the salty residue and
young children, especially those under 5 years, are at high risk from
personal contact and ingestion. Animal deaths have previously been
reported on farms from ingesting ash from CCA timber in the USA and
UK.
Since people are generally aware that CCA timber should not be burned,
this hazard is not normally encountered. Eating only a few grams of
ash could be very dangerous.
CCA ash should be collected where practicable and disposed at an EPA-approved
site. Small amounts (domestic) can be put in a sealable container and
disposed in the garbage.
PERSONAL PROTECTION WHEN COLLECTING ASH
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Do not touch the ash with your bare skin and avoid disturbing or
spreading it.
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Wear gloves while working with the ash.
-
Moisten the ash prior to handling with a shovel.
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Remove and launder clothing and clean footwear.
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Wash your hands after finishing work and before eating or food
preparation.
HEALTH SYMPTOMS AND ACTIONS
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If you have ingested a toxic amount of CCA ash, you may develop
vomiting and diarrhoea, have itchy skin or a skin rash, or be
excessively thirsty.
-
People suspecting that they have these symptoms should see their GP as
soon as possible or present to the nearest hospital if acutely ill.
-
Arsenic poisoning can be confirmed by a urine test while symptoms are
present.
-
Arsenic is readily expelled from the body in the urine and also by
hair production.
-
The symptoms from chromium and copper poisoning are less distinct but
include gastro-intestinal irritation and skin sensitisation.
As long-term arsenic ingestion (not giving immediate symptoms) may
have health implications (eg. over time, it is one cause of skin
cancer), people need to exercise caution to minimise their cumulative
exposure. These cancers are normally limited to being associated with
the long-term drinking of groundwater contaminated with arsenic such
as in Taiwan and Bangladesh or long-term occupational exposure in
arsenical chemical production.
CCA TIMBER IN PARKS
CCA timber is commonly used as structural timber in buildings and
shelters, walkway construction, playground equipment, bollards at
parking areas and signs. There will be many instances where these have
burnt to the ground in parks and reserves. People should avoid contact
with this ash. Where possible, park officers will attempt to collect
such ash before burnt park areas are re-opened to the public.
Where CCA ash is a general contaminant on walking tracks or picnic
areas, residues are spread and people should take care with personal
hygiene after being in contact with the ground prior to eating and
food preparation. It is expected that this contamination will
eventually be diluted to safer levels once rainfall over the next
winter season occurs and other means of distribution into the wider
environment, and be of less health significance.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Health concerns: Environmental Health Service, Department of Health –
tel. 8226-7100
EPA-approved sites for CCA ash disposal: Your local Council, or EPA –
tel. 8204-2004, or freecall (country callers) 1800 623 445. |
