What is copper arsenate used for?

Chromated copper arsenate (CCA) is a wood preservative containing compounds of chromium, copper, and arsenic, in various proportions. It is used to impregnate timber and other wood products, especially those intended for outdoor use, in order to protect them from attack by microbes and insects.

What is CCA treatment?

Copper chrome arsenate (CCA) treated timber is wood that has been treated with a preservative containing copper, chromium and arsenic. CCA-treated timber should not be used to build children’s play equipment, patios, domestic decking, handrails, new garden furniture, exterior seating or picnic tables.

How long does CCA treated wood last?

The lifespan of CCA-treated wood is 40 years, with a potential to last even longer. This life expectancy remains the same whether the wood is buried underground or in a marine environment.

Is CCA safe for garden beds?

CCA treated pine should also never be burned and it should never come into contact with drinking water. Newer pine treatments – such as ACQ treated pine is a great alternative which undergoes a water-based wood-preservation process that is arsenic-free. This makes it perfect to use for home vegetable gardens.

Does treated lumber still have arsenic in it?

Arsenic is found everywhere. There are 90 elements that make up the Earth’s crust, and one of those is arsenic. It’s in food, water, our bodies—it’s natural. And so, yes, there is arsenic in our treated wood—it was in the wood before we even treated it, because it was pulled out of the ground by the tree’s root system.

How long does CCA treatment last?

40 years
With CCA treatment, wood can last for 40 years, and often much longer, even when it is exposed to the weather or a harsh estuarine or marine environment and/or is in direct contact with the ground or with fresh or salt water . What is CCA? CCA has been used as a preservative for about 70 years.

How do you tell if wood is CCA treated?

Usually the green colour is imparted by the copper in a preservative, e.g. CCA, ACQ, CuAz. Colour is not a good indicator of treatment quality. The Hazard part of the treatment brand (Q8) is the only indicator of where the treated product can be used.