What are the sealant studies and why are EPA and CPSC doing this research?
EPA and CPSC staff began this collaborative research program on both new (new wood when the study was initiated) and existing CCA-treated decks in August 2003 to study the effectiveness of sealants in reducing or eliminating exposures to arsenic which could occur from contact by the public, especially children. Most exposure occurs with decks and play sets that have been constructed with CCA-treated wood. EPA is evaluating the performance of 12 coatings on outdoor minidecks made from older CCA treated wood; CPSC is evaluating eight coatings on outdoor minidecks made from new CCA-treated wood. Even though CCA can no longer be used in residential settings, many existing decks and other structures are made of wood that was treated with CCA. These studies are designed to help provide information regarding which types of sealants do the best job of preventing potential exposure to arsenic from contacting treated wood surfaces. It should be noted, however, that most sealants are marketed by
