Pressure treated wood and food (and other) plants

[Sigurd]

Do you have any information on the safety of using pressure treated wood to make raised plant beds where food crop roots will probably come in contact with the wood? I know the preservative used in the past contained arsenic but I believe that has now stopped. I don't know what the preservatives used today contain and how safe they are for this type of use.

 

[YumYum]

Not sure about in the UK but the green looking pressure treated stuff here contained copper arsenic. I don't think the average person can buy it as the only place I see it is with wooden power poles which is still being used today.

The pressure treated stuff now days (yellow looking) just doesn't hold up that well. Carpenter bees eat it for lunch and it doesn't affect them any. Cedar or locust wood is probably a longer lasting option but more expensive.

 

[Tetters]

I'm not so sure that arsenic has ceased being used for this job, but I certainly wouldn't trust it for food crops. If you do decide to use this, it might be a good idea to line the bed very carefully with a tunnel grade polythene, and staple it down well. I wouldn't worry so much if it was to be used for ornamental plants.
It would be quite attractive to have beds using felled timber logs. if you're lucky enough to know a tree surgeon That would be very friendly to wildlife too.
Good to see you on the forums @Sigurd

 

[Sigurd]

I take your point re arsenic but from what I have been able to find out, te arsenic compounds are now banned (in the UK). Most now used are supposed o be safe fro food crops. I have emailed the supplier to see what they say or at least find out what compound is used then research the chemical.
Get a reply tomorrow I hope.

 

[Sigurd]

Never got a reply. These are my own research findings -

Are Pressure Treated Woods Safe in Garden Beds? - FineGardening

Can you use pressure treated wood for garden beds? Discover its safety for home gardens as well as some alternatives to choose from.

www.finegardening.com

American but usually they are fusier than UK!
The RHS says - Wooden boards are commonly used, and are ideal for the allotment. Pressure-treated timber lasts longest, and modern wood treatments do not contain arsenic or chromium.

 

[DirtMechanic]

Do you have any information on the safety of using pressure treated wood to make raised plant beds where food crop roots will probably come in contact with the wood? I know the preservative used in the past contained arsenic but I believe that has now stopped. I don't know what the preservatives used today contain and how safe they are for this type of use.

Here in the USA some effort however limp handed is offered relative to biological assessment which is fundamentally a form of soil testing. To rephrase myself the conduit of soil testing on the web is at least somewhere capable of a chemical analalala and our keyborrrreds cannot say that detail

 

[Oliver Buckle]

Most seem to be copper oxide and ammonium products which are 'relatively' innocuous. Relative to what they don't say, arsenic?

It would be quite attractive to have beds using felled timber logs

Some go quicker than others, I felled an overgrown leylandii a few years ago, and that seems to be almost indestructible. I use it for my compost heap and edging beds, generally conifers seem to last longer.