[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 59 (Friday, May 10, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E780]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  INTRODUCING THE ARSENIC TREATED LUMBER PROHIBITION AND DISPOSAL ACT

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                       HON. JANICE D. SCHAKOWSKY

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 9, 2002

  Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing the Arsenic 
Treated Lumber Prohibition and Disposal Act to protect children and 
families by phasing out the use of arsenic in pressure treated lumber 
and ensure that arsenic treated lumber is disposed of safely.
  Most of the lumber sold for outdoor use in the U.S.--for school 
playgrounds and decks of private homes--is pressure-treated and 
injected with toxins to preserve the wood and prevent insect 
infestation. The most common wood preservative and pesticide used is 
chromated copper arsenate (CCA), which is 22 percent pure arsenic. A 
12-foot section of pressure-treated lumber contains about an ounce of 
arsenic, enough to kill 250 people. An Environmental Working Group and 
Healthy Building Network study found that an area of arsenic-treated 
wood the size of a four-year-old's hand contains an average of 120 
times the amount of arsenic allowed by the EPA in a 6-ounce glass of 
water. According to the report an estimated one out of every 500 
children, who regularly play on playground equipment or decks made from 
pressure-treated wood can be expected to develop cancer later in life 
as a result of the exposure.
  The Arsenic Treated Lumber Prohibition and Disposal Act will prohibit 
the use of CCA treated lumber once and for all. The Arsenic Treated 
Lumber Prohibition and Disposal Act, parallel legislation to Senator 
Bill Nelson's (S. 1963) bill, will phase-out the use of arsenic-treated 
lumber in residential settings: decks, playgrounds, walkways and fences 
within a year of enactment. It also requires the disposal of arsenic-
treated lumber in lined landfills to prevent contamination of 
groundwater and requires the EPA to finish its risk assessment 
regarding arsenic-treated lumber. Finally, it provides monetary 
assistance to schools and local communities to remove arsenic-treated 
lumber from their playgrounds.
  Arsenic can kill, and it causes cancer and other life threatening 
diseases. We can no longer ignore the dangers posed by exposing our 
children to this poison. The Arsenic Treated Lumber Prohibition and 
Disposal Act will protect the environment and health of American 
Families. I hope that all of my colleagues will join me in this effort 
to keep families safe.

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