may 2003 greenspace insider, cambria land trust
TRANSCRIPT
8/3/2019 May 2003 Greenspace Insider, Cambria Land Trust
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Volume 3, Number 5 May, 200
The Insider
A few months ago, a local resident questioned our two-year-old Strawberry Canyon Erosion Control and Sediment Reduction
Project. The indi-vidual wronglythought that the
project was beingdone without a permit
but would not discussthe issue with
Greenspace. Theone positive item that
came out of this un-fortunate fracas wasGreenspace learned
that some materials used to construct the erosion structurescontained chromated copper arsenate (CCA), chemicals used
to preserve wood from termites, fungi, andother wood destroying organisms asso-
ciated with earth contact. Having been inthe building business for many years it wasnot uncommon to use pressure treated
wood for many aspects of construction.Using pressure treated wood to contain
earth and capture sediment seemed prac-
tical and made good sense and was calledout for use in our approved plans.
The same concerned individualcomplained that Greenspace was plac-
ing arsenic in a creek. We took thisaccusation very seriously and have
devoted this Greenspace Insider to CCA issues.
What is CCA and where it is used?
CCA is a water-borne preservative containing arsenic, chro-mium, and copper. It is used for the long-term protection of
wood against attack by fungi, insects, and marine borers.The use of this product extends the productive life of wood
and thereby reduces the demand for forest products. CCAproducts are intended for outdoor uses such as utility poles,
fence posts, construction material, and pilings.
Is there a risk that the CCA preservative can leak out of
treated wood?Yes. Material treated with CCA and exposed to dampness
or water for long periods of time will lose preservatives intothe water or soil more so than rain on CCA treated fence
posts. The amount and rate at which arsenic leaches, how-ever, varies considerably based of factors such as climate,acidity of rain and soil, age of wood product, and how much
preservative is in the wood.
What risk does arsenic pose to human health?
Arsenic is a known human carcinogen and is acutely toxicWhen estimating the potential risks that a chemical may pose
consider two factors: toxicity and exposure. Toxicity is describedas the harmful effects that the chemical may cause, which is
often dependent on the amount or dose received. Exposure ithe dose received, typically orally or through contact with theskin, or by inhaling, over a certain period of time. Therefore
whether any risk of toxic effects exists is dependent on both
toxicity and exposure.
Alternatives
EPA has registered a number of preservatives that do nocontain CCA’s, and woods treated with these preservatives are
available now in the marketplace. In ad
dition, untreated woods and non-wood aternatives, like plastics and composite ma
terials are available for purchase, too.If you have CCA material on your prop
erty or use CCA material, here are somrecommendations:• Never burn treated wood, wood
scraps or sawdust.• Seal existing CCA treated decks and
play structures every 2 years with anoil-based sealant.
• Wash hands when using CCA products or playing on structures made of CCA
material. When cutting CCA material wear protectivbreathing masks.
• Do not prepare food on CCA treated surfaces.
• Do not use CCA wood on exposed indoor surfaces.• Do not use CCA treated wood for wood chips or mulch.
We have concluded that the small amount of pressure treatedwood used in our erosion control project will have inconsequen
tial effects on the seasonal drain-age flow in Strawberry Canyon orthe surrounding forest. In the fu-
ture, however, Greenspace willpurchase material that does not
contain any amounts of arsenic re-gardless of the current sentiments
of the federal government to relaxthe arsenic standards in water-ways.
Chromated Copper Arsenate and the Environment
Sources EPA, Minn, Dept. of Health
The Greenspace erosion control structure will
prevent further loss of soil in Strawberry Canyon
Arsenic and Old Wood
8/3/2019 May 2003 Greenspace Insider, Cambria Land Trust
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Post Office Box 1505Cambria, California 93428
(805) 927-2866 - Phone
(805) 927-7530 - Faxe-mail: [email protected]
www.GreenspaceCambria.org
U.S. Standard Rate
PAID
Permit No. 37
Cambria, CA 93428
Non-Profit
Organization
H E L P G R E E N S P A C E T A K E A S N A P S H O T
O F T H E C E N T R A L C O A S T ! ! O n M a y 1 7 , 2 0 0 3 , G r e e n s p a c e w o u l d l i k e y o u t o j o i n u s f o r t h e f i r s t C o a s t - W i d e S n a p s h o t D a y , w h e r e c i t i z e n -
m o n i t o r i n g g r o u p s f r o m t h r o u g h o u t t h e s t a t e w i l l b e s a m p l i n g t h e w a t e r o f C a l i f o r n i a ’ s c o a s t a l r i v e r s , s t r e a m s , a n d o c e a n . W i t h f u n d i n g f r o m t h e S t a t e W a t e r R e s o u r c e s C o n t r o l B o a r d a n d t h e E n v i r o n m e n t a l P r o t e c t i o n A g e n c y , t h e
C a l i f o r n i a C o a s t a l C o m m i s s i o n i s p a r t n e r i n g w i t h g r o u p s s u c h a s G r e e n s p a c e f r o m S a n D i e g o C o u n t y t o t h e N o r t h C o a s t o f C a l i f o r n i a t o c o o r d i n a t e m o n i t o r i n g a l o n g t h e e n t i r e C a l i f o r n i a c o a s t . T h i s e v e n t w i l l b e b a s e d o n t h e R e -
g i o n a l S n a p s h o t D a y s t h a t G r e e n s p a c e s t a f f a n d v o l u n t e e r s h a v e b e e n p a r t i c i p a t i n g i n f o r m a n y y e a r s .
T h e p r i m a r y o b j e c t i v e o f t h i s e v e n t i s t o e n h a n c e c o m m u n i c a t i o n a m o n g m o n i t o r i n g g r o u p s t h r o u g h o u t t h e s t a t e . A t
t h e s a m e t i m e , w e w i l l b e w o r k i n g t o g e t h e r t o c r e a t e t h e l a r g e s t s e t o f u n i f i e d c i t i z e n m o n i t o r i n g d a t a f o r C a l i f o r n i a t o d a t e a n d w i l l b e a b l e t o a n s w e r t h e q u e s t i o n : “ W h a t i s t h e q u a l i t y o f t h e
w a t e r f l o w i n g t o t h e c o a s t ? ” — a t l e a s t o n M a y 1 7 , 2 0 0 3 !
G r e e n s p a c e s t a f f a n d v o l u n t e e r s w i l l b e c o l l e c t i n g d a t a i n a n u m b e r o f
c r e e k s w h e r e t h e r e i s p u b l i c a c c e s s , i n c l u d i n g S a n t a R o s a C r e e k a n d S a n S i m e o n C r e e k . T h e i n f o r m a t i o n b e i n g c o l l e c t e d w i l l b e s i t e o b s e r v a t i o n s ,
t e m p e r a t u r e , p H , t u r b i d i t y / t r a n s p a r e n c y , d i s s o l v e d o x y g e n , c o n d u c t i v i t y , t o t a l c o l i f o r m & E . c o l i , n i t r a t e s , a n d o r t h o p h o s p h a t e s .
V o l u n t e e r s w i l l b e g i v e n t r a i n i n g b e f o r e t h e e v e n t b y t h e M o n t e r e y B a y
S a n c t u a r y C i t i z e n M o n i t o r i n g N e t w o r k a n d a f r e e t e e s h i r t o n S n a p s h o t
D a y . P l e a s e c o n t a c t t h e G r e e n s p a c e o f f i c e a t 9 2 7 - 2 8 6 6 i f y o u w o u l d l i k e t o b e p a r t o f t h i s e x c i t i n g d a y !