{"id":184,"date":"2012-07-30T00:46:00","date_gmt":"2012-07-30T00:46:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/merribeeorganics.wordpress.com\/2012\/07\/30\/how-safe-is-treated-pine\/"},"modified":"2012-07-30T00:46:00","modified_gmt":"2012-07-30T00:46:00","slug":"how-safe-is-treated-pine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/merribeeorganicfarm.net.au\/index.php\/2012\/07\/30\/how-safe-is-treated-pine\/","title":{"rendered":"How safe is treated pine?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Having had sections of a new salvaged Jarrah post and rail fence fall over within a year thanks to termites, and seen a friends lovey painted but otherwise untreated pine pergola also disintegrate within a year , I would like to use treated pine for structures but hear conflicting stories as to its saftey.\u00a0<\/span>I was told by a chemist once that the toxic treatment mixture is rendered inert and doesn\u2019t leach once applied to wood. He had used it throughout his garden. I just found some good info on this subject that may be useful to anyone making the big effort to create permaculture structures. Certainly we want these projects to endure so something must be done to protect \u00a0against termites.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Pine is a renewable resource and I think better environmentally than using native timber or steel.\u00a0<\/span>Apparently “a small amount”\u00a0<\/span><\/span>of chemicals do leach out. I would avoid using\u00a0<\/span>treated pine<\/span>\u00a0in wet or irrigated areas, but \u00a0be comfortable \u00a0using it \u00a0 (for fencing say) \u00a0in \u00a0high and dry areas of the property only. \u00a0Treated pine \u00a0should also be fine in above ground applications where people and animals don’t usually have physical contact. You can also paint over it for extra security.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

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CCA preservative<\/h3>\n
CCA treated timber (also commonly called tanalised timber) contains copper, chromium and arsenic, which is a toxic chemical mixture but is relatively inert<\/b> once fixed in the timber. However, it is not recommended in skin contact use such as children\u2019s playground equipment and hand rails. Treatments such as ACQ and copper azole do not have the chrome and the arsenic but the higher levels of copper increase the corrosion potential with steel and galvanised steel fixings.<\/div>\n

Use and handling<\/h3>\n