Research and Development

There is a lack of knowledge about the impacts of CCA-treated timber in the Australian environment. Since the timber industry is unlikely to fund such research, there is a need for independent research. Furthermore, the research that is being undertaken focuses mostly on alternative chemicals, although they pose a range of environmental and health risks as well. It is recommended that non-industry linked research funding is made available in sufficient amounts to enable researchers to:

• Investigate non-biocidal wood treatment alternatives and the performance of alternative materials;
• Conduct epidemiological research on the health impacts of CCA exposure on timber workers, as well as on agricultural animals, such as horses;
• Carry out a comprehensive mass testing programme of Australian playgrounds to determine how much arsenic children are ingesting;
• Undertake epidemiological studies that are properly extrapolated to the risks for children, taking into account the different rate of metabolism for children;
• Measure the actual amount of arsenic residue on the surface of CCA-treated timber of different ages, as well as levels of arsenic in the surrounding soil, and investigate the factors that influence this;
• Investigate synergistic toxicity of CCA acting as a combination, rather than extrapolating the risks of each element acting alone;
• Determine the environmental risk to aquatic environments posed by CCA-treated timber;
• Understand the environmental risk associated with the use of CCA-treated timber in commercial applications, such as farm fencing, poles and bollards;
• Measure the level of plant uptake of arsenic in Australia, including through the roots; and
• Develop technologies to safely remove arsenic, chromium and copper from CCA-treated timber prior to landfill or re-use.