

Propiconazole has been approved for surface application or pressure treatment of siding, plywood, millwork, shingles and shakes and above-ground structural lumber and timbers. Propiconazole by itself does not protect wood against insect damage. Propiconazole has been approved by EPA for preserving wood used in millwork, shingles and shakes, siding, plywood, structural lumber and timbers and composites that are used in above ground applications only. Propiconazole is a triazole fungicide that was first registered in 1981. Alternative Wood Preservatives Propiconazole Only pressure and thermal treatments of PCP are allowed. PCP is a restricted use pesticide that is used for commercial purposes, mainly for treating utility poles. PCP was one of the most widely used biocides in the United States before 1987 when pentachlorophenol uses as an herbicide, defoliant, mossicide and disinfectant were removed from product labels.Ĭurrently, there are no registered residential uses. Pentachlorophenol (PCP) was registered as a pesticide on December 1, 1950. Pesticide products containing creosote as the active ingredient are used to protect wood against termites, fungi, mites and other pests that can degrade or threaten the integrity of wood products.Ĭurrently, creosote is used for commercial purposes only it has no registered residential uses. Creosote is a restricted use pesticide that can be used in outdoor settings such as in railroad ties and utility poles. Indoor applications of creosote are prohibited as well as application to wood intended for use in interiors or for use in contact with food, feed, or drinking water. Creosote is obtained from high temperature distillation of coal tar. CreosoteĬreosote has been used since 1948 as a heavy duty wood preservative. It can be used to produce commercial wood poles, posts, shakes, shingles, permanent foundation support beams, pilings, and other wood products permitted by approved labeling. EPA has classified chromated arsenicals as restricted use products, for use only by certified pesticide applicators. From the 1970s to the early 2000s, the majority of the wood used in outdoor residential settings was chromated arsenical-treated wood.Įffective December 31, 2003, chromated arsenical manufacturers voluntarily canceled virtually all residential uses of CCA, and wood products treated with CCA are no longer used in most residential settings, including decks and children’s playsets. Since the 1940s, wood has been pressure treated with chromated arsenicals to protect wood from rotting due to insect and microbial agent attack and wood-boring marine invertebrates. Wood preservatives containing chromated arsenicals include preservatives containing chromium, copper and arsenic.
LANDSCAPE LUMBER REGISTRATION
View EPA’s registration review schedules. Next, EPA will issue interim decisions finalizing the measures put forward in the proposed interim decision.

For creosote and chromated arsenicals, EPA proposed additional mitigation measures to protect the health of workers in wood treatment facilities. EPA determined that pentachlorophenol’s risks outweighed its benefits and proposed cancelation. In 2021, EPA issued proposed interim decisions for chromated arsenicals, creosote, and pentachlorophenol to address the human health and environmental risks of using these chemicals. Creosote and chromated arsenicals were also found to pose risks to the environment. In each case, EPA found that although the measures required by the REDs reduced worker exposure, these products continued to pose health risks of concern to the workers who apply them. In 2019, EPA completed its draft risk assessments for chromated arsenicals, creosote, and pentachlorophenol as a part of its registration review. These measures included engineering controls such as ventilation and automatic doors for locking and unlocking treatment cylinders. In 2008, EPA determined that chromated arsenicals, creosote, and pentachlorophenol could remain in use as long as certain mitigation measures identified in the Reregistration Eligibility Decision Documents (REDs) were implemented. The three heavy-duty wood preservatives (chromated arsenicals, creosote, and pentachlorophenol) are currently undergoing registration review, a process EPA conducts for all registered pesticides every 15 years to ensure that products can carry out their intended function without creating unreasonable risks to human health and the environment.
