Is it safe to use a grill to cook when chemically treated wood was burned in it?
my son burned chemically treated wood in my grill for a bonfire. Can I still cook in it, is it safe? or do I need to buy another grill?
Best Answer
Timber is treated using CCA (chromated copper arsenate). It is not safe to burn or eat food cooked over this timber. The main risk with this compound is that the smoke and ash will contain arsenic ("As" is the abbreviation for the element), which is a risk for acute and chronic arsenic poisoning as a result of short or long-term exposures respectively.
A quick search of the literature indicates that the release of copper and chromium is negligible in burning of CCA treated wood, however one paper has this to say:
These results indicate that the open burning of CCA-treated wood can lead to significant air emissions of the more toxic trivalent form of As in particle sizes that are most respirable.
I only found one paper on the use of CCA in cooking which showed a weak positive correlation between the use of CCA treated wood and urinary output of copper, chromium and arsenic, so the risk is real!
I believe that these compounds will not accumulate in the grill, so I think if you (wearing respirator and PPE) were to clean the ash and soot out of the grill and dispose of it according to local regulations (check with your council/state/country), as well as washing out the interior of the grill, you should be safe. I would still advise that you get some expert advice on this before using the grill again.
Pictures about "Is it safe to use a grill to cook when chemically treated wood was burned in it?"
Quick Answer about "Is it safe to use a grill to cook when chemically treated wood was burned in it?"
It is not safe to burn or eat food cooked over this timber. The main risk with this compound is that the smoke and ash will contain arsenic ("As" is the abbreviation for the element), which is a risk for acute and chronic arsenic poisoning as a result of short or long-term exposures respectively.Can you get sick from burning treated wood?
Pressure treated lumber is considered hazardous waste by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Burning this wood releases the chemical bond that holds the arsenic in the wood and just one tablespoon of ash from the burnt wood contains a lethal dose of this poison.Can you eat off of pressure treated wood?
Pressure-treated wood should not be burned under any circumstances. The fumes can be toxic and the ash is very toxic. Do not use pressure-treated wood for making cutting boards, or for any food preparation surface.What happens when wood is burned on the grill?
When burned thoroughly in a lab, wood produces about 8,600 BTUs of heat per pound, about half of the mass is converted to carbon dioxide and about half to water vapor. In the real world of a grill or smoker, wood is never burned thoroughly so there are many other byproducts. And we like some of them.Can I make smores with treated wood?
Never, ever use treated wood, as it creates toxic smoke and leaves toxic metals in the ashes. Plus it's illegal to burn treated wood. Now bring out the grahams, chocolate & marshmallows and enjoy your s'mores!California Hair Stylist Sets Client's Hair on Fire to Get Rid of Split Ends
More answers regarding is it safe to use a grill to cook when chemically treated wood was burned in it?
Answer 2
Your grill (i.e. barbecue) is fine to use. I wouldn't want to eat food cooked over treated wood (although it probably isn't a big deal), but it won't leave any lasting effects. Just empty the ashes and give it a good clean. By clean I mean to use water, cleansers and a scouring pad to clean off all the soot and residue from the inside and the metal grills.
Answer 3
Some of the chemicals used in pressure treated wood are quite nasty. They recommend good ventilation and respirators to even cut it. It can also leave your grill imparting an off taste. Clean it well, then remove the impossible-to-remove residue with (much) higher temps than you use to cook. That way, cooler yet still-hot temps of cooking can't vaporize anything bad that cleaning missed.
How? Load it with extra charcoal, light as normal, wait until all fuel is glowing. Spread the coals around the perimeter of the kettle. Then hit it with air from a fan, leaf blower, or even a hair drier, blowing the flames against the side of the grill. It can get red-hot, but you don't need to go beyond the point where the walls no longer smoke on their own right after the air is removed. Once all the smoking grime is burned-off, re-clean and enjoy peace of mind with your chops.
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Harry Cunningham @harry.digital, Milan, Everson Mayer, Lukas