Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Eating and Drinking => Cooking, Storing and Preserving => Topic started by: Tenhens on October 24, 2013, 17:06
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I have just acquired some timber - strips of wood about 1 inch square by 3 feet long - that would be ideal to make shelving for storing apples . The timber has been tanalised. Is it safe to use? We have a well established apple tree that is laden this year.
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I would have thought the answer is no, i do not know the new preservative mixes but they used to be CCA which was Copper /Chrome/Arsenic .
The latest treatments are probably less harmful but unlikely to be suitable for food storage use.
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Sounds a bit dodgy to me, I would have thought without preservative would be best.
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Did a quick on line search earlier and found some info on tanalising but no mention of what health risks. Will investigate further otherwise will find another use for the wood.
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Found this, http://www.treatedpine.net/images/downloads/Handling_CCA.pdf
Do building workers wash their hands before they eat, drink or smoke. ::)
Not the ones i`ve worked with ! :lol:
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It used to have some nasties in it but according to this I just found maybe it's not now so toxic. :
Tanalising involves impregnation with Tanalith E (new environmentally friendly) wood preservative under controlled conditions in a vacuum pressure timber impregnation plant. When impregnated into the timber the chemicals become chemically fixed into the timber and cannot be removed. At times the treatment leaves a green residue on the surface which will normally wear off with use. This is a feature that occurs but is not considered a blemish. The residue is not harmful.
The treatment described above gives softwood the qualities of a long service life and long term protection from fungal and insect attack.
Tanalised timber does not need any further maintenance treatment but will naturally weather over the months finally changing to a grey colour. This is caused by the effect of sun, moisture, wind and other exterior conditions. The efficacy of the preservative continues. The timber will produce cracks (checks) that will open and close as an effect of condition changes. They are not detrimental to the long term durability of the product, but do alter the look of the furniture.
Source(s):
http://www.gardentoys.biz/gpage.html1.html