Chromated Copper Arsenate (CCA):
Questions & Answers: Scientific Advisory Panel's Final Report on Preliminary Probabilistic Risk Assessment for Chromated Copper Arsenate

CCA Table of Contents

Current as of February 12, 2004

Background

On February 13, the Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP) released its final report (meeting minutes) on EPA's draft preliminary probabilistic risk assessment, which evaluated the potential risks to children who play on playsets and decks made with wood pressure treated with chromated copper arsenate, or CCA. The Agency convened this panel to seek independent expert scientific advice on the data and methodology used in this assessment. This draft risk assessment focuses on a number of new predictive models and data sources that have been employed in an effort to better refine the assessment process. The Agency asked the SAP to review these new approaches and to provide comments so that the draft assessment can be further refined.

1. What is EPA announcing today?

EPA is announcing the availability of the Scientific Advisory Panel's (SAP) report on EPA's draft preliminary probabilistic risk assessment, which evaluated the potential risks to children who play on playsets and decks made with wood pressure treated with chromated copper arsenate. EPA will carefully consider the SAP recommendations and revise the draft risk assessment as appropriate.

2. What is the SAP and why did the Agency utilize the Panel?

The SAP is a Federal advisory committee operating in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) . The Panel serves as the primary scientific peer review mechanism of EPA, Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances and is structured to provide scientific advice, information and recommendations to EPA on pesticides and pesticide-related issues. Since there were new and innovative scientific risk assessment techniques employed in the preliminary assessment, the Agency convened this panel to seek independent expert scientific advice on the data and methodology used in this assessment. This draft risk assessment focused on a number of new predictive models and data sources that have been employed in an effort to better refine the assessment process. The Agency asked the SAP to review these new approaches and to provide comments so that the draft assessment could be further refined.

3. Will the SAP final report be publicly available?

The report is posted on the SAP Web site and in the public docket. The draft risk assessment entitled 'A Probabilistic Risk Assessment for Children Who Contact CCA-Treated Playsets and Decks, (Draft Preliminary Report)' is presently located at this site.

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