Thread: Poisons in recycled timbers.

A lot of wool stores (sheds built by the government) were all timber and treated with arsenic. Nothing ever survived in those sheds for long, even sixty years or more down the track. I once saw a colony of smal bats move into the rafters area of a sged, only to start dropping dead some days later, or clearing out altogether. I never saw a spider web or ants etc.

After they were demolitioned, the timber was sold off to builders and DIY people.

I wouldn't burn anything inside my house that has been placed in or on the ground especially in our area where poisons have been over used for about 100 years. We still have a woodpile but I stopped using the open fire inside for about 5 years ago. It doesn't seem to affect me but I'm pretty sure it affected SWMBO when we did use it. We also had an unflued gas heater which I reckon was not too good for her either. Since we went with reverse cycle she has been a lot better but what the heck we're probably screwing up the planet somewhere else!

most of the weedsprays (herbicides) used in the old days were banned due to occupational H& S risks, but many are still around, because the majority are pretty safe. The main ones used now are plain old roundup (doesnt persist more than a month), and Atrazine or simazine, both of which are pretty safe unless you are eating vast quantities of them. Burning them would simply neutralise them further.

The main problem is using wood from under houses that were treated with Organophosphate insecticides. These were designed to kill bugs and last a long, long time. They also act on similar chemical pathways that we have. So be careful of old sub floor timbers. Still, in a nice hot coonara or similar, not many chemicals would escape being incinerated to harmless compounds - maybe an industrial chemist could correct me if I am wrong....