A Safer Building Material Offers A Timely Alternative (NAPSA)—Learning more about safer building materials could be a healthy idea. That’s because 90 percent of the pressure-treated lumber currently manufactured contains chromated copper arsenate (CCA), otherwise knownas arsenic, used to make wood moreresistant to rot and insect damage. Studies show that it isn’t just insects that can be harmed by CCA—people are at risk too. CCAtreated lumber can leach arsenic into surrounding soil or enter the bloodstream through skin splinters—especially when the wood is new—posinga cancerrisk. The U.S. Environmental Pro- % . Lee Copyright 2001 Sylvia Martin/Coastal Living Alternative lumber sources help protect the environment and the people wholivein it. tection Agency (EPA) recently announced an agreement with pressure treaters to ban the use of CCA preservatives by 2003. In light of this news, arsenic-free plastic building materials offer a strong option when building decks, docks, porches and terraces, amongother outdoor structures. “Products we manufacture are made of recycled high-density polyethylene (HDPE), recycled wood fiber, recycled fiberglass, and combinations thereof,” said Paul Bracegirdle, vice president of engineering for U.S. Plastic Lumber, manufacturer of Carefree Xteriors Decking Systems. “They resist rot and decay, contain no harmful chemicals, and they don’t these alternative boards and railings on top of a traditional pressure-treated lumber structure, experts don’t recommendit; it defeats the low-maintenance purpose of alternative decking, and a pressure-treated structure can still leach arsenic into the maintenance, they practically take care of themselves. They don’t require sanding, sealing or painting, and many come with warranties of up to 50 years.” While some people build with native lumber, visit www.plastic lumber.org or www.plastics.com. For EPA guidelines on arsenic, visit www.epa.gov. To learn more about Carefree Xteriors, visit www.carefree-xteriors.com. split, splinter or crack. As for soil. Supports made from structural lumber—a combination of HDPE and fiberglass—make more sense for both maintenance and safety reasons. Manyexperts consider alternative building products, such as Carefree Xteriors, to be the wave of the future. They contain recycled plastic, they save time, they’re durable andthey’re safe. For more information on alter-
