Found decayed CCA treated wood near where my garden will go. Should I worry?

[gdning8]

The cca wood is very decayed and falling apart. It was used as a small retaining wall for part of the old garden that was here. Estimated to be 20 years old. Should I be worried? Should I get a soil test before eating anything from this part of the garden?

 

[Tetters]

I believe that any arsenic that was used on the wood would have long since been washed away in the soil. The copper content, if it was still harmful, I think would kill any plant near it well before it was anything like ready to eat.
If it was possible to remove the remains of this wood I probably would, but I think there would be little risk after all this time.
In a new garden, a soil test is a good idea anyway, and I understand it can be accomplished without too much expense. This may put your mind at rest. Better safe than sorry.
You say the remains of this wood are near your new garden, but not in it. Probably all ok.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

I would agree, little there to worry about. Pollutants tend to wash straight down at least until they reach the water table, and the fact that it is decayed and falling apart means nothing is left stopping the decay. On the other hand a soil test would give full peace of mind and might give you important clues to other things like nutrient balance.

 

[gdning8]

Thank you everyone for the responses!

 

[YumYum]

I dont know of any garden soil tests that test for arsenic. Maybe some kind of state lab could but I would say it isn't going to come cheap.

In the US they still use that for utility poles. Look around for greenish poles. The grass is not dead nor never dies around the pole so that is not a way to determine the toxicity.

 

[Tetters]

Does Pressure-Treated Wood Belong in Your Garden? - Fine Gardening

Learn about wood pressure-treated with chromated copper arsenate (known as CCA) and if pressure treated wood is considered safe for gardens.

www.finegardening.com

I found this very detailed information online, and wondered if it would help. There is a lot of it, and so, rather than copy and paste bits, I've sent the entire article.

 

[MiTmite9]

Does Pressure-Treated Wood Belong in Your Garden? - Fine Gardening

Learn about wood pressure-treated with chromated copper arsenate (known as CCA) and if pressure treated wood is considered safe for gardens.

www.finegardening.com

I found this very detailed information online, and wondered if it would help. There is a lot of it, and so, rather than copy and paste bits, I've sent the entire article.

A terrific article. I really enjoyed reading it, so thank you for sharing. I learned a lot, but this is what I found truly intriguing:

"Carrots, radishes, and spinach all tend to store arsenic in their edible portions.

For example, beets are good arsenic accumulators, but most stays in the tail-like root, not the bulbous part you eat."

Thanks again for a great read.

 

[YumYum]

That is a great ideal to grow a catch crop and then dispose of.