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UPDATE (10-19-11): The Patriarche Park play structure will be sealed by spring 2012 and the East Lansing Rotary Club has launched a fundraising campaign to remove and replace the existing play structure. A community build will take place at the culmination of the fundraising campaign.

Patriarche Play Structure Constructed with CCA-Treated Wood

Through its preliminary work on the Playground in the Park Project, new information about the condition of the wooden play structure at Patriarche Park has been discovered by the City of East Lansing and East Lansing Rotary Club. In light of this new information, it has been decided that the project, originally slated for Sept. 15-18, will be postponed while the City takes measures to address the issues.

In 1995, when Patriarche Park’s wooden play structure was constructed, the wood used in the majority of home deck and playground construction was treated with chromated copper arsenate (CCA) – a chemical preservative that includes chromium, copper and arsenic. Arsenic is a known carcinogen that may or may not cause long-term health risks dependent on daily levels of exposure.

The East Lansing Department of Parks, Recreation & Arts (ELPRA) recently arranged for wood core and surface testing of Patriarche Park’s wooden play structure and has determined that it was constructed with CCA-treated wood. The City will likely either partially refurbish the park with a composite material and seal the remaining CCA-treated wood or completely tear down the structure and rebuild. Replacement would only take place if funds become available.

Upon completion of a collaborative two-year study by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), it was determined that oil or water-based, penetrating sealants applied once a year to a CCA-treated wooden play structure can reduce potential exposure to arsenic.  

While the City works to promptly formulate a new plan of action, signs will be posted at the park educating community members about the issue. The East Lansing Rotary Club has expressed an interest in remaining in support of the project and will work closely with the City once a new plan of action is determined.

EPA and CPSC Guidelines & Information
Community members concerned about exposure to CCA-treated wood should keep the following EPA and CPSC guidelines and information in mind:

• Wash hands thoroughly after contact with treated wood, especially prior to eating or drinking.
• Ensure that food does not come into contact with any treated wood.
• The majority of exposure that is estimated to occur to children is from hand-to-mouth activities (i.e. children touching the surface of CCA-treated wood and then putting his/her hand in his/her mouth). This activity is most prevalent in children, ages 1-6.
• Based on estimates by ATSDR (the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services), an average daily intake of arsenic for a 2-6 year old child ranges from about 2-46 µg per day depending upon amounts in diet, air and soil. From the staff’s analysis, arsenic exposure in children from contact with CCA-treated wood playground structures is estimated to be about 3.5 µg each day that includes a playground visit.

Community members can learn more at the EPA and CPSC websites:

Question & Answers on CCA-Treated Wood Sealant Studies (EPA)

CCA Fact Sheet (EPA)

CCA Fact Sheet (CPSC)

Questions, Concerns & Feedback

Community members with questions, concerns and feedback can contact:

East Lansing Parks, Recreation & Arts Director Tim McCaffrey

(517) 319-6867 or tmccaff@cityofeastlansing.com

East Lansing Parks, Recreation & Arts Assistant Director Wendy Wilmers Longpre

(517) 333-2580 ext. 39 or wlongpr@cityofeastlansing.com