An investigation into CCA-treated timber in New Zealand has concluded that it does not endanger public health.
Government watchdog the Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA) commissioned the report from toxicologist Debora Read last year. ERMA said there was a need for consumers to be well informed regarding safe use and handling of treated timber and a consumer and retail education programme is to be published. But it concluded that CCA-treated material did not pose a major risk.
The New Zealand Building Industry Federation (BIF) and Forest Industries Council (FIC) welcomed the report findings.
“The peer-reviewed report is a balanced and comprehensive analysis of the current information on CCA treated timber,” said FIC chief executive Stephen Jacobi. “The industry welcomes its conclusion that CCA-treated wood has been in use for many years without discernable adverse effects, suggesting that if there is a true increased risk it is very small.”
BIF chairman Richard Carver said: “It is the industry view that there are no comparable products [to CCA] currently available in terms of cost effectiveness, proven performance and flexibility for a wide range of domestic and commercial uses.”
The New Zealand Building Industry Authority said that it would draw on the findings of the new report before making any recommendations on the use of CCA treatments.
