Some lawmakers are asking lumber dealers to stop promoting children’s play sets made with arsenic-treated wood. Some lumber is treated with arsenic to make it resistant to insects and rot. But studies have shown that arsenic, which is toxic, can leach out of the wood.
The wood products industry has agreed to voluntarily stop selling pressure-treated play equipment by January 1. But critics say it’s too risky to use the wood. They want the sales to stop right away. The Environmental Protection Agency has not determined there is a health risk from the products.