Wood treated with chromated copper arsenate or cca can leach toxic arsenic into soil.
Pressure treated lumber for raised beds.
Yes you can use pressure treated lumber for your raised garden beds homeowners ask if it is safe to use treated lumber for garden vegetable beds.
However i haven t seen any research that suggests the level of the chemicals is significant enough to be of concern for human health.
He stated in a bulletin titled treated wood in raised bed gardening scientific evidence and data have shown that using pressure treated wood for raised bed or box gardening is safe to adults and children in terms of the plants grown and used in these containers he further explains all chemicals in consumer products have a toxicity.
If you want to use a pressure treated wood for your raised beds look for lumber with a label stating it was treated with acq alkaline copper quat.
Concerns have focused on the leaching of arsenic from pressure treated wood into the soil contaminating plants and people.
Gardeners have used pressure treated wood for decades in raised beds and as posts but on december 31 2003 the environmental protection agency epa banned the sale of lumber treated with chromated copper arsenate cca for residential use.
There are several different alternatives to using pressure treated lumber to build raised beds.
Certain woods such as cedar black locust redwood and cypress are naturally less prone to rot due to the oils in the wood.
The safety of pressure treated wood for garden beds depends on what preservative was used to treat the wood.
While there is scientific consensus that it is safe to use for garden and vegetable beds the information below explains what chemicals are used in viance ground contact treated wood for residential use and the results of numerous scientific studies.
Many new gardeners and even experienced ones turn to treated lumber when sourcing materials for raised beds due to its added protection against moisture and the associated rot and bug damage.
Some have the same look and others are a different approach altogether.