Chromate copper arsenate (CCA) is a wood preservative with antimicrobial and insecticidal properties. It has been banned in several countries due to health and environmental concerns from prolonged exposure to leached chemicals. CCA-treated wood is primarily for outdoor use and cannot be burned safely.
Chromate copper arsenate (CCA) is a chemical compound that has been used as a wood preservative since the 1930s. This compound came into widespread use in the early 21st century, at which point several nations began enacting restrictions and bans on chromate copper arsenate in response to concerns about the environmental and health effects of exposure to this compound. While woods treated with this product are generally recognized as safe by many governments, government agencies recognize that they may pose a health threat over an extended period of exposure.
This chemical compound has antimicrobial and insecticidal properties which make it attractive as a wood preservative. Wood treated with chrome plated copper arsenate will last longer, resist damage, and hold paint better than untreated wood. Classically, the wood has a distinctive greenish tinge from the copper when new, though it can turn to a gray or neutral tone over time if left unpainted and used outdoors.
The wood is treated with chromated copper arsenate through a pressure treatment process, in which the wood is immersed in a bath of the chemical compound and then subjected to high pressure. The pressure drives the compound into the wood, ensuring that the wood is evenly permeated into the mixture of chromium, copper and arsenic. Once the treatment is finished, the wood can be left to dry before being sold. When sold, the wood is clearly labeled as pressure-treated so people know what settings are appropriate for its use.
Primarily, chrome plated copper arsenate treated wood is for outdoor use, such as in the construction of patios, decks, fences, signage, light poles, and so on. Several countries have specifically banned the use of this product in residential construction, due to concerns that people could become ill from prolonged exposure to leached chemicals. Wood is also banned in playgrounds in May nations.
Health concerns about this chemical compound revolve around the fact that the chemicals leach out over time. For people capable of sustained exposure, such as children who use a playground every day, levels of the chemicals could build up in the body, causing illness. Wood treated with chromium copper arsenate can also leach chemicals into the natural environment, where they can enter the water table or cause disease and illness in plants. Also, this wood cannot be burned safely, which is a problem in areas where people may burn waste wood for heating and cooking.
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