How can I limit my exposure to arsenic?

Arsenic is a naturally occurring element, so it’s not possible to completely eliminate exposure to it. But there are some things you can do that may lower your exposure.

In drinking water

Public drinking water systems in the United States are required to test for arsenic and to keep it below a certain level (10 parts per billion). If your drinking water comes from a public source, you can find out about the levels of certain substances in your drinking water, including arsenic, by contacting your local water system. Each system is also required to give its customers an annual report on water quality known as a Consumer Confidence Report. This report lists the levels of certain chemicals and other substances in the water. You can also contact the EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791 for information about drinking water safety.

If you get your water from a private source such as a well, you may want to have your water tested for arsenic levels by a reputable laboratory. People who live in areas with high levels of arsenic in the water may consider using alternative sources of drinking water, such as bottled water. (The US Food and Drug Administration [FDA] sets the standards for allowable levels of arsenic in bottled water.) Common household water filters do not effectively remove arsenic.

In foods

Some foods naturally contain more arsenic than others. As mentioned above, rice and rice products are a particular concern because they are a major food source in many parts of the world and are included in the diets of many infants and children. The levels of arsenic in these products and their possible health effects are areas of active study. At this time, neither the FDA nor the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommend specific limits on how much rice or rice products should be eaten, but they do recommend that families eat a wide variety of foods for a well-balanced diet that includes grains other than rice, such as wheat, barley and oats. This can help limit any possible health effects from eating too much of any one type of food.

Concerns have also been raised about arsenic levels in some fruit juices (particularly apple juice). The FDA has tested the arsenic levels in many apple juice products and has stated that it is confident in the overall safety of apple juice for children and adults. The AAP does not have specific recommendations regarding arsenic in fruit juices, but it has stated that children don’t need to drink fruit juice to have a well-balanced, healthy diet. The AAP recommends limiting the intake of all sweet beverages, including juice, because of the risk for poor nutrition, obesity, and childhood cavities.

At work

If there is a chance you may be exposed to arsenic at work, important ways to reduce or prevent exposure include:

• Making engineering changes, such as substituting safer materials for more hazardous ones, enclosing a process that could expose workers to hazards, or ventilating a work area.
• Using personal protective equipment, such as gloves and respirators, as part of a workplace protective program.
• Using good work practices, such as changing clothes after work, washing work clothes regularly, and keeping food out of the work area.

If you are concerned about arsenic exposure in your workplace, discuss the situation with your employee health and safety representative or your employer. If needed, OSHA, the federal agency responsible for health and safety regulations in most workplaces, can provide more information or make an inspection.

In pressure-treated wood

Some pressure-treated lumber products contain an inorganic arsenic compound known as CCA that helps protect the wood against rot and insects. The sale of CCA-treated lumber for most residential (home) uses was stopped at the end of 2003. However, many structures such as home foundations, decks, fences, or playground play sets that contain CCA-treated lumber are still in use.

It is not clear if skin contact with arsenic from pressure-treated lumber can cause health problems, other than skin irritation in some people. However, a larger concern has been raised with its use around children, especially in play sets. Children might swallow small amounts of arsenic if they put their hands in their mouths after touching the wood or the soil around it.

A child’s exposure to arsenic in CCA-treated playground equipment could vary based on many factors, including the amount of arsenic released from the CCA-treated wood, the amount of arsenic picked up on hands, the number of days the child plays on the wood, and the amount of arsenic transferred to the mouth by hand-to-mouth activity.

If you aren’t sure if a wooden play set contains arsenic, contacting the play set manufacturer might help you find out. But if this information isn’t available, it is safest to assume that it does.

To reduce exposure, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recommends that parents and caregivers make sure children’s hands and other exposed body parts are thoroughly washed with soap and water after playing on all pressure-treated wood playground equipment. It has also been suggested that children not eat while on wooden playground equipment.

People concerned about arsenic exposure at home from wooden decks or play sets may want to consider applying a sealant on existing CCA-treated lumber surfaces each year. This may lower the amount of arsenic released from the wood.

The CPSC also recommends that CCA-treated wood not be used where routine contact with food or animal feed can occur, such as in areas used to plant vegetables, fruits, or herbs. If you have a garden vegetable planter made with CCA-treated wood, put a plastic liner in it before filling it with soil to reduce exposure to CCA.

Arsenic can also be released into the air when cutting or burning CCA-treated lumber. If you are cutting pressure-treated lumber, it is important to use proper safety equipment, including a mask, to limit your exposure, and to clean up any sawdust promptly. Do not burn pressure-treated lumber.

The EPA does not currently recommend removal of CCA-treated lumber, but if you decide to remove CCA-treated wood in a play set, deck, or other structure, contact the EPA or your state or local solid waste management offices to get instructions on how to dispose of it safely.

Contact an expert

If you are concerned about arsenic exposures at work, from drinking water, from treated wood, or from other sources, contact the EPA or your state or local health department for more information. You can also contact specialists in environmental and occupational medicine. They can assess exposure levels, evaluate current health problems that may be related to the exposures, and give you information concerning future risk and how to limit it. You can find qualified professionals and facilities by checking with the Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics.