Are We Poisoning Our
Kids With Treated Wood?
To the Editor:
Picture this scenario: Cambridge,
Massachusetts. A two-year-old child is
leaning over the railing of the jungle
gym at a newly remodeled neighborhood
playground. The child's arms are
draped over the railing and his eyes
are serenely observing the chaotic
activity as he absentmindedly chews
the wood railing. But this is no
ordinary railing. This railing is a
coppery-green color, and it has been
treated with chemicals that no selfrespecting
organism would share a
patch of earth with: chromated-copper
arsenate. This is the same wood
which, when purchased at the lumber
yard, is accompanied with instructions
that exhort the handler to wear a
mask when sawing, to wear gloves
when touching, and