It is commonly used for decks, fences, boardwalks, picnic tables and telephone poles. Ross said she did not know how much it would cost to seal every CCA-treated wood structure in state parks, or how much new wood is used by the park system every year. There are 153 state parks. Last week, DEP Secretary David Struhs declared a temporary moratorium on the use of CCA-treated wood in state parks. Ross said the park system already has begun ordering wood treated with ACQ, an alternative chemical that does not contain arsenic or chromium.
State agencies buy most of their wood from the plant, which is operated by state prisoners.
Other states have taken steps to protect people from pressure-treated wood. In California, officials recommend that wooden playground equipment be sealed every two years. In Connecticut, officials say people should keep children or pets from playing under CCA-treated decks. Two weeks ago, The St. Petersburg Times published a story that focused on arsenic in playgrounds. On Sunday, The Gainesville Sun ran a special report on potential hazards of working with the wood.