Drink to Your Health

The danger of arsenic was brought home to Mainers earlier this year when 16 people were sickened and one died after drinking coffee tainted with the chemical in New Sweden. However, it doesn’t take intentional poisoning, as was the case this spring, for arsenic to cause harm. The naturally occurring chemical and a component of some pesticides is found in many private wells and, therefore, is consumed by many Maine families. Arsenic-treated wood is also found in half the state’s homes.

More than half of Maine’s population gets its drinking water from private wells and only half of those are tested for arsenic. The state Bureau of Health has found that 10 percent of private wells have high arsenic levels. Arsenic is a known carcinogen and exposure can lead to increased incidence of cancer, as well as circulatory problems.

There are some simple fixes to reduce exposure. Although efforts to require testing of private wells have not made it through the Legislature, testing is easy and inexpensive and should be done by all homeowners concerned about what’s in their water. Testing information can be found on the Maine Department of Human Services Web page.

Mainers, especially young children, are also exposed to arsenic through contact with pressure-treated wood, which is often used to make decks, railings and play structures. In a draft study released last week, the Environmental Protection Agency reported “a marginally increased risk of cancer” for children ages 1 to 6, who are exposed to the wood. The federal government has banned the production of arsenic-treated wood after Dec. 31, although remaining stocks of such lumber can continue to be sold. With passage this spring of a bill aimed at reducing arsenic exposure, the Maine Legislature stopped the sale of arsenic- treated wood here in September with a ban on sales after April 1, 2004.

It is estimated this will stop the in-stallation of 10 million board feet of arsenic-treated wood in Maine. The Department of Environmental Protection is now investigating ways to dispose of arsenic-treated wood without burning it or putting it in unlined landfills.

To increase public awareness of the hazards of arsenic, the Maine Real Estate Commission has asked its members to tell potential homebuyers about arsenic risks associated with a property. It will report to the Legislature on the success of this voluntary effort next October when lawmakers should once again consider requiring such disclosure when a home is sold, as the recently enacted law mandates now when real estate changes hands without a Realtor.

Lawmakers are doing their part in seeking ways to reduce arsenic exposure. Homeowners should too by testing their water and sealing arsenic-treated wood if removal is not feasible.