For almost 70 years, coal tar-derived creosote has been federally registered for use as a wood preservative. During the past 40 years, the risks and benefits of creosote, like those of other major industrial wood preservatives, have been reevaluated by U.S. EPA in three successive and comprehensive review processes – Special Review, Reregistration Review, and, currently, Registration Review.
These reviews have resulted in an updated and expanded scientific database for creosote, and improved nationally uniform product labeling containing risk mitigation measures for workers in creosote pressure-treatment plants. There is every reason to believe that creosote will continue to meet federal (and state) standards for registration as a pressure-treatment wood preservative.
This paper, “Four Decades of U.S. EPA Review – and Continuous Federal Registration – of Creosote,” was co-authored by Lawrence S. Ebner of Capital Appellate Advocacy PLLC and David A. Webb, Administrative Director of Creosote Council III as part of the Proceedings of the American Wood Protection Association’s One Hundred Twelfth Annual Meeting in Puerto Rico in May 2016.
The paper covers the following key points:
- Introduction
- Statutory Background
- Special Review (1978 – 1986)
- Reregistration Review (1986 – 2011)
- Registration Review (2015)
- Conclusion
To read the full paper, click here: Four Decades of U.S. EPA Review – and Continuous Federal Registration – of Creosote