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Can CCA lumber give off arsenic into the air to be inhaled?

April 26, 2017air arsenic CCA inhaled lumber

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Can CCA lumber give off arsenic into the air to be inhaled?

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Generally, the answer is no. The CCA is considered non-volatile. However, never sand CCA lumber surfaces! This sends fine arsenic-laden dust into the air and has caused some of the most acute arsenic poisoning cases. Arsenic is an even more powerful carcinogen when inhaled than when ingested. Also, recent research conducted in Germany indicates that fungal and bacterial growth on old CCA lumber can convert some of the arsenic to a volatile chemical form which can evaporate into the air.