using creosote - legal?

I remember reading somewhere that the use of creosote for wooden fence preservative is now illegal. Is this true? The neighbours here are using the stuff to "do" their fences again - and of course tell me (again) that this stuff makes the wood last for years. Which is why they seem to do it every five minute no doubt!

Also they mix in used engine oil - which I know is horrible stuff. When it rains I can see the rainsdrops turn yellow as they run down the wood.

Even if it is legal, I wish they would use one of the many preservatives that are easily obtainable. Of course, that has the makings of a war - with me telling them what to do to their own fence (no matter how nicely I put it). Maybe I could have a quiet word with some "anti-pollution agency"/environ. agency or something?

Reply to
dave
Loading thread data ...

Ah, just found this...

formatting link

Reply to
dave

You can still buy real creosote- just not in small quantities, so I assume that it is still legal to use it.

What is your objection? OK, smells a bit for awhile but it keeps the moggies away. The scope for polution is minimal- in real terms how often do people creosote their fence?

Like your neighbours, I'm totally unconvinced any of the replacement products are any good.

Reply to
Brian Reay

into a tree stump I'm trying to kill off.

Reply to
robert

It's carcinogenic. Please see my follow-up link. It leeches into the soil/groundwater.

apparently not. (See link)

These - every 2 years - maybe more often than that!

I've used a Cuprinol wood preservative on my shed - once every 4 years for the past 15 and no sign of rot - and it's in a very exposed position.

Reply to
dave

Interesting, looks like the replacements really are crap as if you need to seriously protect a bit of wood (sleepers, telephone poles, harbours, waterways, even tree stakes) then you can still use it.

Reply to
Dave Liquorice

'suppose so although I think crap is a bit strong. After all a failed sleeper telephone pole or harbour support is slightly more serious than someones fence falling to bits early.

Reply to
dave

About 25 years ago I sprayed a fence with creosote using a compressor and spray gun and then looked round to see a 'Stephen King Fog' enveloping a neighbours washing and moving down the road - never sprayed it again!!

Reply to
Peter Andrews

A mate of mine did the same thing at some time, except he then realised the line of cars outside the house were all covered in it!!

Sparks...

Reply to
Sparks

Unless you habitually chew the fence, there is unlikely to be a measurable risk.

Reply to
Ian Stirling

That's not a particularly accurate view, which is strongly contested.

It is true, that creosote naturally contains a minute amount of benzo-a-pyrene, amongst other chemicals.

To put it in perspective though, cigarette smoke contains a considerably greater proportion of it, and studies show that even for heavy smokers most ingestion is actually dietary.

Benzo-a-pyrene is typically formed as a combustion product, and as such finds it's way into the diet through vegetable matter that has taken it up from the soil, and from food cooked at high temperatures. (Like your barbecued/burnt burgers etc.)

That benzo-a-pyrene and other polycyclic aromatics have carcinogenic tendencies is accepted, but the EU decision to declare benzo-a-pyrene such an increased danger, was based on just one poorly conducted study that didn't even address human epidemiology at all, and does not correlate with other previous evidence. (It is a matter for conjecture whether the nanny superstate just blindly accepted the results because it also suits their anti-smoking stance.)

But back to creosote, centuries of experience have shown no evidence of any noticeable carcinogenic risk among workers with even relatively high occupational exposures. That is not to say it is an innocuous substance

- after all it is used as a preservative because of it's bio toxicity, and there are good reasons for avoiding unnecessary prolonged contact with it, and not using treated timber in inappropriate places. (The same goes for most other effective preservatives, CCA for example.) However, it doesn't kill wood boring insects by giving them cancer!

Even if there was a genuine case for further restricting exposure, making criminals of ordinary folk for occasionally brushing a bit creosote on their fences and sheds rather than addressing the safety of those with significant levels of occupational exposure is just farcical.

Reply to
Paul

For 'amateur use' these days, you get 'new formula creosote' easily from the sheds. The only difference being it's been distilled differently and it doesn't work quite as well! Only way of telling the difference (without chemical analysis) is by what it says on the tin. Still has a certain odour though!

Reply to
Paul

Well as I am in no way qualified to discuss the chemistry or epidemiology of this matter I defer to your superior knowledge. All was was after is a red/green on whether this stuff was ok for them to use. (Often an impossible question to answer of course). I guess the EC powers that be would say that your view is also "not a particularly accurate" for some reason or other? Anyway these neighbours also mix it with lashing of used engine oil! Several other people have complained of sore throats which they feel is due to breathing in this stinking smell (we live in a close). Perhaps it really isn't stinking. No doubt they are all experiencing psychosomatic symptoms. For some reason I am put in mind of the "No link with CJD" and "not transmittable to humans" voices from the past somewhere... And remember, smoking is good for you. But then that is all completely illogical and to err on the safe side is of course stupid and childish. Fences first - that's the way forward. Creosote rights for all.

Reply to
dave

So shopping your neihbours behind their backs is better than asking them politely to refrain from doing something?

Reply to
Steve Firth

At the end of the day, it doesn't matter what anyone on this thread has said about the pro's and con's of using Creosote. It's use (for your average Joe) is now illegal and punishable by a hefty fine and/or imprisonment.

It's use (in any quantity) is only available to licencees (and D-I-Y Joe won't get one). This is partly because of the Nanny state we live in whereby we have to be protected from ourselves because we can no longer use common sense. (We can't reed and we can't rite so we'll just splodge it all over the place with little care for the environment nor our health and safety).

However, there is an almost equivalent product on the market which goes by the name of Creosate! This *IS* legal, and is the replacement for Creosote. Whether it preserves as well waits to be seen, but by all accounts it still stinks to high heaven - and could (just) be the stuff your heighbours are using. Tread carefully therefore before you shoot yourself in the foot!

Reply to
Paul King

Just taken delivery of "claer wood preserver" from Screwfix (see other thread). Smells remarkably like creosote.

Quite like the smell occasionally myself. Never quite got round to using old engine oil on a fence, I must say.

Reply to
Bob Mannix

It is only legal for professional use. It is totally illegal now for a DIYer to buy, or use, creosote.

sPoniX

Reply to
sPoNiX

I have started using something called "Creoseal" which seems to do an adequate job.

It smells very slightly of creosote so suspect that it is very similar chemical consitution and goes on in a similar way. It even comes in a creosote style container.

formatting link
you *sure* the neigbour is using creosote and not creoseal? If they are using creosote you'd need to check that they are not "professional" users, ie a builder or fencing contractor.

sPoNiX

Reply to
sPoNiX

Doesn't seem to be actually true. The regulations state the exceptions are for industrial OR professional use and "industrial" use includes fencing. This is further modified in that you can't use [creosote] anyway in public parks gardens etc where frequent skin contact may be made. The word DIY doesn't appear at all. It would appear that "fencing" (on private property) is the only grey (or brown - sorry!) area. I guess a fence round a builder's yard would be considered industrial (even if you did it yourself) and one round a private garden wouldn't if it went to court.

formatting link

Reply to
Bob Mannix

What the heck is 'professional use'? What professional qualifications mean you're permitted to use 'real' creosote? I suspect that the only qualification actually required is the need/ability to buy it in large quantities.

Reply to
usenet

HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.