My neighbor, a retired chemist and director of research for a major pharma corp, told me that the new compound is very similar to the pre-CCA formula. The problems associated with the new formula are well known to the older contractors. FYI - I have always stored, air-dried, and sealed my CCA posts before putting them in the ground. I had a lab test the soil around the post after 2 years - barely detectable. Direct burial of untreated CCA posts indeed causes leaching and is readily detectable. The lab told me that the problem is really one of manufacturing technique. The CCA that leaches is primarily the unabsorbed residue. If there were a way to rinse off the excess, 75% of the CCA ground contamination could be avoided. Also, since the yellow pine in CCA lumber is not exactly dried the best [you can add understatement here], letting it dry before sealing it with an oil based sealer, is a must. Why talk about CCA when it is being removed from the marketplace? The lab's asst director told me that it was better [if prepared correctly] and safer than the previous formula. And it's that guy's $.02 I'd like to give you.
Paul
