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treated telephone poles

Jan_Hobbs
18 years ago

Can anyone tell me if/how dangerous the smoke would be if old telephone poles were burned...they of course have been treated...and we are concerned about it.

Thanks for any info anyone can give.

Jan

Comments (8)

  • DPallas
    18 years ago

    They may have been treated with creosote, chromated copper arsenate (CCA), or pentachlorophenol (penta). If you can detect the creosote, they probably weren't also treated with the other. I burned a pile of railroad ties that had been pulled out of landscaping, and the creosote was quite dense in some parts, not weathered away. Any wood smoke is somewhat toxic and I wouldn't recommend standing in it, but I certainly didn't get ill. Creosote burns very hot; it's what causes chimney fires and forms from a combination of wood smoke and moisture, and can burn at 2000 degrees. The wood preservative is distilled from coal tar. The good thing about it is that the fire and smoke don't linger as though you were trying to burn out tree stumps; it's fast and hot and is over quickly.

    The EPA says not to burn creosote-treated wood, and that it should be put in a municipal dump, so presumably they think burying it in a landfill is better. They say the same thing about CCA. Penta, on the other hand, make contain dioxin and I don't how one would safely dispose of it.

    Creosote:
    http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/factsheets/chemicals/creosote_prelim_risk_assess.htm
    CCA:
    http://www.epa.gov/oppad001/reregistration/cca/cca_consumer_safety.htm

    Here is a link that might be useful: Pentachlorophenol

  • Jan_Hobbs
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    DPallas...thanks for your reply...that is what we needed to know. I knew that someone here would know about it.

    Jan

  • mountainman_bc
    18 years ago

    Jan- Creosote is like burning rubber tires. take them to a landfill.
    And treated posts should go without saying. The tag on them at the stores states 'do not burn this wood'. Fire spreads the chemicals pretty far and the ashes are poisoned.
    If you are trying to get rid of it, I'd try calling the local landfill or similar and ask. There is a way.

    The regulations for organic farms suggests leaving treated posts in the ground, because removal causes more harm.

  • Jan_Hobbs
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Thanks everyone for your info. These poles were short pieces that someone left at our campground for "us to burn"...we have removed them so none of the campers can get to them.

    Jan

  • redice750_hotmail_com
    13 years ago

    I burnd a small log size cut of one in my fire place.
    Only part of it burned. Do I have something to worry about.
    I did breathe in some of the direct smoke.

  • ZeBonsai Kers
    7 years ago

    Bump. ^me too

  • goodhors
    7 years ago

    Is the stub blackened before burning or greenish, lighter wood color? The dark one is probably creosoted, elderly pole. The lighter one was probably copper treated, like pressure treated wood. A quick call to the lumber yard might get information about what to do for breathing the treated wood smoke. This is because customers do burn it instead of sending it to a dump site. On the Creosote poles, you might look up information about treating victims of burning on the computer. Lots of old uses for creosote in the past, railroad ties, poles, fence posts, so I would think there is information available for treatment. Probably a bit won't kill you, but could cause problems. Just getting creosote on your skin will often burn it. We had special medication in our First Aid Kits for use after handling the poles into position, getting creosote on ourselves. As smoke in your lungs, it could do damage, but the Dr would be your best bet for that, to check you physically. There were elderly, usually thin poles, made of cedar, no preservatives on them. We still have some around here, over 40 years in use. Newer poles were bigger to handle wind and heavy wire, so they quit using the cedar.

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