Opinion: Caution over arsenic-treated wood

The government and the lumber industry are talking about halting the manufacture of arsenic-treated wood. Such a move makes sense. Bad press and lawsuits over the wood's health risks have taken a toll on the industry, and the government's own inability to limit the wood's use in a clear, consistent way has not inspired consumer confidence.

The news of a possible phase-out, reported last week by the Times' Julie Hauserman, came as one of the nation's leading designers of playgrounds announced it would no longer use arsenic-treated wood. The firm, Leathers & Associates, which has helped build some 1,600 playgrounds around the United States, said it would switch to an alternative form of treated lumber -- a decision the company president said was "driven by a demand from the public."

With alternatives to arsenic available, the industry should seize the opportunity to reshape its public image. Though there is little consensus in the scientific community on the risk arsenic-laced wood poses to children, the Congress, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Consumer Product Safety Commission are reviewing the lumber for safety concerns. Consumer groups have also had an impact. Several national playground makers have agreed to switch to arsenic-free wood, and in Florida, state parks no longer use the lumber on new construction projects. A class-action lawsuit also accuses two of the nation's largest home improvement chains of failing to inform customers of the risks.

Waiting for more tests or lawsuits will not fix the image problem of arsenic, or do much to lessen the reasonable concern parents have with arsenic levels in yards and playgrounds. Wet and humid Florida, the nation's biggest market for pressure-treated wood, should take the lead in pressing the EPA to hang tough in talks with the industry. Given the long life span of treated wood, the government has an interest in regulating these materials with an overabundance of caution. Public health should not come second to the fight against wood rot and bugs.

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