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The treated wood companies, and even some government agencies, continue to tout arsenic treated wood as "safe" and "harmless", but is that really the case? While studies abound with data describing the health hazards of exposure to arsenic and chromium, how does this data extrapolate to the general human population? Have people been hurt by CCA treated wood? What kind of injuries did they suffer? What were the long term affects of their exposure to this so-called "safe" product? Have animals been hurt by CCA wood? The treated wood industry has an answer to this question. They claim that CCA treated wood is"safe and environmentally sound". Their sales brochures, available at the sales counters of most major lumber retailer stores, reassure consumers that arsenic treated wood is "safe for human contact" and that "there is no risk to human health" for users of this product. But is that really true? To find the answer to these questions, it is essential to review the reports from those who have come forward and spoken up about their injuries. It is to them that this page is dedicated - to the unsung heroes who were unwittingly and unknowingly injured by a product that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Canadian government, and the Australian government have yet to declare hazardous. To the right you will find the section entitled, "First Hand Accounts". These stories from real victims are drawn from court case records, newspaper articles published in the U.S. or Canada, and others were emailed to BANCCA.ORG by the victims themselves. In the table that follows below you will find official government incident reports from CCA related injuries. These are excerpts from the official Incident Reports on file with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), from the reports from the EPA-sponsored National Pesticide Telecommunications Network (NPTN), and from the files of state health agencies. All of them are real accounts about real people. These
EPA and NPTN Incident call logs were obtained from a recent Freedom
of Information Act (FOIA) request filed by BANCCA.ORG with the
EPA. We were shocked by both the volume and the content of the data
found in the EPA's own archives. There were over 300 pages of Incident
reports from across the country, with reports of injuries to men, women,
children- even entire families- as well as cattle, horses and dogs.
One particularly credible animal injury report is from an experienced
equine veterinarian. Please note that we have attempted to leave the wording of these accounts and reports in their original format as much as possible, with only minimal editing. However, the names of injured persons, corporations and the actual places have been removed for privacy reasons.
IN
THE TABLE BELOW, SEE THE INJURY REPORTS FROM THE EPA's OWN ARCHIVES,
|
|
|
Date |
Male/Female/Child/Animal -(Age @ injury) |
Type of Exposure |
Details of Victim's Exposure |
State or Country |
|
1983 |
Male (age 42) |
Inhalational |
"For two years, Larry XXXX started fireplace
fires in his home with [CCA treated telephone poles]. …Health officials
now believe that the poles were treated with toxic chemicals…Their fumes
are blamed for Larry's mysterious paralysis from the chest down and the
nosebleeds, bronchitis, and nausea his wife and children have experienced…
Tests revealed that [Larry] had high levels of Arsenic in his system…
|
Indiana |
|
3/1983 |
1
Male/1 Female |
InhalationalDermal |
"A study reports a case of a man and woman
[constructing] picnic tables for the Forestry Service using freshly-treated
CCA lumber… in a non-ventilated garage…both workers began to experience
spontaneous nose bleeds, heaviness of the chest, itching and burning of
the skin, stomachache, and the woman noted that her hair pulled out when
combed [alopecia]." |
Illinois |
|
1984 |
Family: man, woman, 2 boys, 4 girls |
Inhalational |
"All eight members of a rural Wisconsin
family experienced recurring neurological and medical illness over three
years, especially during the winter months. For four years their home
had been heated with a wood stove in which [CCA treated] wood remnants
were burned… |
Wisc. |
|
1987 |
Two workers, at least one male. |
Inhalational |
"Two workers were exposed while working
with [CCA] treated wood. He was wearing a dust mask. Symptoms included
headache, dizziness, shaking and upset stomach." [Note: Workers missed
two days of work because of the exposure.] |
California |
|
4/1993 |
1 Male/1 Female |
Ingestion |
Letter from the Minnesota Dept. of Agriculture
states: " The MDA received a…complaint that alleged arsenic poisoning
occurred as a result of using [CCA] pressurized timber in a vegetable
garden. The complaintants reported feeling ill after eating produce from
the garden. A soil sample and produce sample [a potato] were analyzed
and found to have high rates of arsenic… there may be an issue of human
health." |
Minn. |
|
11/1994 |
Male (age 36) |
Dermal |
An attorney's letter states that "…my client
XXXX, …suffered severe injuries due to exposure to Chromate Copper Arsenate
[CCA] while working at XXX Lumber Company. Mr. XXX was handling lumber…when
he was injured… |
N/A |
|
1995 |
Worker, probably male. |
Inhalational |
"A lumber mill worker developed nausea and pain [radiating down to the shoulders] while boring holes in [CCA] treated wood to check penetration of the antifungal treatment. He complained of his symptoms to his supervisor 5 days later and was sent to a doctor." |
California |
|
5/1995 |
Male |
Dermal |
Corporate Human Moderate Incident Report to EPA reads, "[Consumer] alleges that while using CCA treated wood, a splinter of wood entered plaintiff's middle finger which later developed a severe infection in and around the area of the splinter, causing severe and serious injuries. He also alleges dorsal cellulitis, ascending limphangitis, and acute tenosynovitis, which included surgical repair of the right middle finger… he alleges damage to the bones, nerves, connective tissues, flesh and muscles of his right hand." |
Penn. |
|
7/1995 |
Horse |
Ingestion |
"Caller's horse had been poisoned by chromated copper arsenate. The horse had chewed and eaten the pressure-treated wood [aka cribbing]. The arsenic poisoning was confirmed by the vet and the horse almost died. Caller wanted any information she could have on [CCA]…" |
Colorado |
|
8/1995 |
Man |
Inhalational |
"[Caller reported being] exposed to fumes from a wood preservative plant [for] several years. Plant used CCA, Creosote, and Pentachlorophenol. Apparently, he has evidence that their scrubber wasn't working. He stopped working [near the plant] 5 years ago. He has had lots of medical problems: pressure in [his] head, lost use of legs, right side of head numb, "crazy as a bed bug", incoordination. [He has had] lots of MRIs. Of [the plant's] 30 employees, 11 have died; many survivors have heart conditions or cancer." |
Florida |
|
8/1995 |
1 Female |
Inhalational |
"CCA Pressure treated wood steps were installed
6 months ago [in their] condo. Weeping [and] seeping [was noticed]. [Caller]
had seepage analyzed [and found] 173 mg/kg Arsenic. Toddler in household.
Mother had dermatitis on face 2 months ago before they identified the
problem, possibly related to handling the daughter's shoes? Daughter has
greenish stain on teeth, possibly from eating the sap?
|
Conn. |
|
11/1995 |
Female |
Dermal |
Corporate Human Minor Incident Report, reads in part, "Ms. XXXX alleged she received splinters from treated wood" and "she immediately experienced pain… One week after incident, [she] saw her family physician. Ms. XXXX alleged that she experienced a rare infection and eventual amputation of digits on two fingers." |
Utah |
|
8/1996 |
Dog |
Ingestion |
"Caller owns a 7 mos. German Shepherd puppy that is convulsing and is currently in the animal hospital. She suspects her puppy chewed fence posts containing 0.40 [pcf] chromium copper arsenate (CCA). I transferred the caller to Animal Poison Control." |
Virginia |
|
10/1996 |
1 Female child (age 2), |
Ingestion |
North Carolina farm family reported problems
after burning CCA wood scraps and disposing of the ashes in their pasture.
This resulted in arsenic toxicosis in which "…eight cows died and four
pregnant cows later delivered dead calves. Several more cows were sick
and were [seen] staggering and stumbling… |
N.C. |
|
9/1997 |
Dog |
Dermal |
"Caller has a dog (Yellow Lab about 85 lbs.)
that may have been exposed to CCA [wood] in his dog cage. The dog spends
the days in the cage and has done so ever since he was a puppy. The floor
is not covered with shellac or other urethane coating. The dog seems to
show signs of lethargy, stiffness, no energy. …Dog could possibly have
been exposed either thru dermal or inhalation or ingestion, esp[ecially]
since it is such a confined space. …dog could be tested for exposure thru
urine or hair." |
Wisc. |
|
10/1997 |
Male |
Dermal |
Letter to EPA states, "...the nerves are pretty well ruined in my feet and legs. …from '93 to '95, I was the superintendent of a construction job where a lot of [CCA] treated lumber was used… A lot of saw dust and fumes from the hot router bit was present most of the time while I cut the pressure treated lumber… At no time were we told about the dangers involved with the use of CCA treated lumber." |
Florida |
|
4/1998 |
Group of Horses |
Ingestion |
"Caller is an Equine Veterinarian …trying
to figure out how horses would be exposed to Arsenic. Four horses are
currently sick and 3 are dead (14, 2 and 1 yrs. Old). This began in Feb.
1998. |
Indiana |
|
6/1998 |
Cattle |
Ingestion |
A study reports a case of "arsenic toxicosis
attributable to ingestion of ashes from burned posts treated with an arsenic-containing
preservative [CCA]… Seven cows from a herd of 37 developed diarrhea, weakness,
stumbling and prostration. Four of the affected cattle died within a 48-hour
period." |
Georgia |
|
8/1998 |
Family |
Inhalational |
Caller cooked some hot dogs on the grill with [CCA] pressure treated lumber. Several people ate the hot dogs. She wanted to know if she needed to go to the hospital." |
Maine |
|
9/1998 |
Man/Dog |
Dermal |
Phone call from a government agency: "Caller has a case where a man was sawing pressure treated wood for a period of 3 months. The man now says he has kidney problems. A few months after the man started sawing the wood, his dog dies of unknown causes. Caller noted that the dog may have eaten some of the sawdust." |
Penn. |
|
10/1998 |
Male |
Inhalational |
"Caller was exposed to fumes/smoke of CCA Treated Wood. Wood was being burned by his neighbor who has a guard rail business using CCA Treated Wood. He lived next to his neighbor for quite a while… Tested soil and found high levels of arsenic. Neighbor was told [by State or EPA] not to burn CCA treated wood [and] to dispose of the contaminated soil in a dumpster. Saturday, he [victim] was on his tractor working the his field and noticed neighbor was burning wood. He complained of coughing and chest congestion. He went to his doctor and had tests on his blood and urine…" |
Texas |
|
10/1998 |
Male |
Dermal |
Corporate Human Moderate Incident Report to EPA reads, "[Consumer] built deck with CCA treated wood. Bought treated lumber 3 years ago to build deck. Since that time he has developed a chronic rash. [He] started getting better, but 2 weeks ago, he assisted a neighbor in cutting some treated lumber. The rash has returned.
|
N/A |
|
10/1998 |
Male |
Dermal |
Corporate Human Major Incident Report to
EPA states, "Employee worked in the arsenic acid filter site area of the
XXXXXX, Tennesee facility. [Exposure method was] uncertain, possible direct
contact (splash) with liquid concentrate [of arsenic]. Employee was referred
to a dermatologist after annual physical examination for treatment of
a skin condition on his chest and arms. |
Tenn. |
|
3/1999 |
Male |
Inhalational |
Corporate Human Major Incident Report to
EPA reads, "Mr. XXXX is an employee of YYYYYY, Inc and has been diagnosed
with Non-Hodgin's Lymphoma, and has filed a Long Term Disability Claim
in which [CCA] chemical exposure was listed as contributing to the disability.
Mr. XXXX is experiencing tiredness, multiple enlarged lymph nodes and
neck mass." Employee is receiving "chemotherapy and radiation therapy
treatments". |
Tenn. |
|
1/2000 |
Male |
Dermal |
Corporate Human Moderate Incident Report to EPA reads, "[Attorney David} McCrea claims his client [while building a deck], slipped and fell on the end of CCA treated wood and approximately 12 splinters entered his shin. He experienced inflammation and went to the emergency room 4 days after the accident. He claims to have experienced [other] problems since that date." Other reported symptoms include "cellulitis, acute lymphadenitis, erythema, swollen leg, tenderness, hypertension." |
N/A |
|
9/2000 |
Male |
Inhalational |
Corporate Human Major Incident Report states,
"Mr. XXXX worked for 15 years building wheelchair ramps treated with CCA
treated wood. He was exposed by "inhaling sawdust [and] direct hand/skin
contact with wood." Recently, he became ill and had to be hospitalized
for pneu-monia and congestive heart failure. Once he had recovered, he
returned to work, and became ill again. This time he complained of respiratory
soreness and soreness in his eyes." |
Georgia |
|
7/2001 |
Female |
Inhalational |
Email Report from the NPTN Manager to the EPA reads:, "[Ms. XXXX called] about her recent reaction which concided with her husband's use of treated wood (presumably CCA). …He had been cutting wood outside on 3 successive weekends to make a fence. She reported being exposed to the sawdust by inhalation, and wondered if that might have led to a flare-up of a number of problems, most notably respiratory problems… Her principal symptoms recently have been pain in the chest, coughing, difficulty breathing, joint pain, and cognitive problems, such as short term memory loss, concentration, confusion, persistent headaches, unusual weakness and blurred vision. Her doctors have not been able to help her or diagnose what is wrong. Her symptoms definitely like MCS [Multiple Chemical Sensitivity], chronic fatigue syndrome… and she reports getting panic attacks. My hypothesis is that chemical imbalance
leads to this problem and that some pesticides are among the things that
can trigger or exacerbate this disease. …I would point out that
the demographic most affected by this illness are women (70-80%) between
the ages of 30 and 50. …The kind of comprehensive research that
is nedded would require concentrated support at the highest levels of
management." |
N/A |
|
3/2002 |
Male (40s) |
Inhalational |
Report from the NPTN to the EPA about the famous case in Mississippi couple who were poisoned, reported by the Gainesville Sun reads, "It is hard to understand how such a high level [of arsenic] in the urine could occur just from sawing the wood. It would mean breathing a lot of dust, or…some exposure from inadvertent ingestion or breathing smoke while the [CCA] wood was being burned." Note: This couple were both hospitalized
due to arsenic poisoning. The husband was charged (temporarily) with attempted
murder when his wife's test revealed high arsenic levels. The FBI and
Mississippi State Police investigated, but dropped the charges against
the husband when his own hair samples revealed higher levels than his
wife's. The couple were "handling and sawing CCA-treated wood" to build
a deck for their log home… The wife's arsenic levels were 5230 ppb, 100
times higher than normal levels. The woman reported symptoms of "severe
diarrhea, vomiting, nauseu and cramps". She was hospitalized 6 times.
The man was "hospitalized for fevers, chills, fatgue and unexplained rashes".
They "are under constant medical care and continue to suffer from fatigue,
rashes, and, in [the man's] case, 'seizure-like' episodes…". |
Miss. |
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Frequently. Last Updated April 21, 2010
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