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Res. No. 168-01-11316RESOLUTION NO.168-01-11316 A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SOUTH MIAMI,FLORIDA,URGING THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE TO PASS HOUSE BILL 113 DURING THE JANUARY 2002 LEGISLATIVE SESSION;PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. WHEREAS,theMayorandCity Commission of theCity of SouthMiami isawarethatthereisasubstantialissueconcerningtheuse of lumbercontaining arsenic compounds,knowninFloridaasCCAtreatedwood,whichisusedinthe construction of children's playgrounds;and WHEREAS,thedangerfromwoodtreatedwithchromatedcooperarsenate (CAA)hasbeenknownforyears;and WHEREAS,researchersattheUniversity of FloridaandtheUniversity of Miamidiscoveredtwoyearsagothatarsenicisgettingintothegroundallover Florida,sometimesreachingamountsfarhigherthanthestateallowsinindustrial cleanupsites;and WHEREAS,HouseBill 113 wouldprohibittheuse of woodproducts treatedwithchromatedcooperarsenateinpubliclyfundedplayground equipment; provideforenforcementonstatelandsbytheDepartment of Environmental Protection;requiretheDepartment of Educationtoprovidenoticetoandevelop guidelinesforschooldistrictsregardingthesealing of woodtreatedwith chromatedcooperarsenate;prohibitstateagenciesfrompurchasingwoodtreated withchromatedcooperarsenate;providegrantsforconservation of woodtreating companiestooperationsusing preservations thatdonotcontainarsenic;and specifypersonswhomustprovidenoticetoconsumers of woodorwoodproducts containingchromatedcooperarsenate;and WHEREAS,theMayorandCityCommissionsupportsHouseBill 113 and urgetheFloridaLegislaturetopassitduringtheJanuary2002LegislativeSession. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SOUTH MIAMI,FLORIDA; Section1.ThattheCity Commission herebysupportsthepassage of House Bill 113. Additionsshownbyunderlininganddeletionsshownbyoverstriking. Section2.TheCityClerkisherebydirectedtoprovideacopy of this resolutiontotheMiami-DadeCountyDelegationandMiami-DadeLeagueof Cities,Inc. Section 3.This resolution shalltake effect immediately upon approval. PASSEDAND ADOPTED this _6thday of November 2001. ATTEST:APPROVED: «l>k/3Xaj CITY CLERK MAYOR READ AND APPROVED AS TO FORM: CITY ATTORNEY Commission Vote: MayorRobaina: Vice Mayor Feliu: Commissioner Wiscombe: Commissioner Bethel: Commissioner Russell: Res.#168-01-11316 Page2 of 2 5-0 Yea Yea Yea Yea Yea Excellence,Integrity,Inclusion MEMORANDUM Date:October 16,2001 Re:Agenda Item 9 To:Honorable Mayor,Vice Mayor andCityCommission From:Charles Scurr /•/.yl City Manager (yd™Supporting House Bill 113 REQUEST South Mlu mi Florida Ail-ftajsrfea tm A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SOUTH MIAMI,FLORIDA,URGING THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE TO PASS HOUSE BILL 113 DURING THE JANUARY 2002 LEGISLATIVE SESSION;PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS The attached resolution sponsored by Mayor Robaina urges the Florida Legislature to pass House Bill 113 duringtheJanuary2002 Legislative Session. This Bill would prohibit the use of wood products treated with chromated cooper arsenate in publicly funded playground equipment;provide for enforcement on state lands by the Department of Environmental Protection;require the Department of Education to provide notice toan develop guidelines for school districts regarding the sealing of wood treated with chromated cooper arsenate;prohibit state agencies from purchasing wood treated with chromated cooper arsenate;provide grants for conservation of wood treating companies to operations using preservations that do not contain arsenic;and specify persons who must provide notice to consumers of wood or wood products containing chromated cooper arsenate. RECOMMENDATION Approval is recommended. Reply to: O 2432 Bayshore Boulevard Dunedin,Florida 34698 (727)298-1674 O 402 South Monroe Street 313 House Office Building Tallahassee,Florida 32399-1300 (850)488-9240 Florida House of Representatives Representative Larry Crow District 49 Committees: Judicial Oversight,Chair House Reapportionment,Co-Chair Fiscal Responsibility Council Procedural &Redistricting Council Council for Smarter Government Joint Legislative CommitteeonArticleV Octoker2,2001 Mayor Julio Rokaina 6130 Sunset Dr. Soutk Miami,FL33143 RE:House Bill 113 Dear Mayor Rokaina: I am writing tkis letter to you and all mayors in tke State of Florida concerning tke akove referenced kill.As ckairman of tke Judiciary Committee in Tallakassee wkick kas jurisdiction over ckildren and family law,I kecame aware last year tkat tkere isa sukstantial issue concerning tke use of lumker containing arsenic compounds,known in Florida as CCA treated wood.As you know,many ofour ckildren's playgrounds are constructed oftkis material and we kave now found outtkat tke arsenic intke wood leackes outintke soil over tke years and creates vastly increased toxic levels of arsenic intke soil. As a fatker of two young ckildren wko enjoy playing on playgrounds,I was immediately concerned intkatI know tkat ckildren play in tke dirt,eat tke dirt,get dirt in tkeir ears ,eyes,noses etc.As suck,I kelieve tkat we need to remedy tke prospective proklem now.I kave proposed tke akove referenced kill wkick would prospectively kan tke use of CCA materials in puklicly funded playgrounds,provide a consumer notification concerning CCA treated wood,and also provide an appropriation to assist tke industry to switck to non CCA treating metkods and sealing and money to kelp tke sckool koards seal any existing playgrounds. I know tkat your municipality may ke facing tkis proklem and kereky elicit your support.It is not until we kave a clear statement from tke State of Florida concerning*Florida's position on tkis wood tkatit will ke krougkt to tke forefront witk consumers.Tkerefore it is critically import tkat we act on tkis kill now and I need your kelp in tkis regard. I kave enclosed kerewitk tke copy of tke kill,along witk several newspaper articles wkick kasically frame tke dekate.I would ask tkatif you kelieve in tkis kill to ke reasonakle tkat you kring it up in front of your local city commission and consider a resolution in support of same.Tkis resolution could tken ke given to your local legislative delegation so tkat tkey know tkere is grass root's support for tkis idea in Tallakassee tkese actions will greatly enkance my ckances of passing tke kill in January.Tkank you very muck for your consideration of tkis matter and please do not kesitate to call me ifI may ke of furtker assistance on tkis matter. Verytrulyyours, Ckairman Judicial Oversigkt Committee 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 568-187-02 H6U3 A bill tobe entitled An act relating to treated w<SdS prohibiting use of wood products trea^Qwith chromated copper arsenate in publ^jT^funded playground equipment;providing J^Lnitions;providing applicability;provN?ng for enforcement on state lands by t^^3epartment of Environmental Protection;reqWring the Department of Education to provide notice to and develop guidelines for school districts regarding the sealing of wood treated with chromated copper arsenate;prohibiting state agencies from purchasing wood treated with chromated copper arsenate;providing exceptions;providing for grants for conversion of wood treating companies to operations using preservatives that do not contain arsenic;specifying persons who must provide notice to consumers of wood or wood products containing chromated copper arsenate;providing contents of such notice; providing a penalty for failure to provide notice;providing appropriations;providing an effective date. Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: Section 1.The use of anv wood product cnnr^rHr^ chromated copper arsenate is prohibited in f,h«construct on of any playground equipment,ann for use ag decorative mulch or qroundcover associated with playground emiinment.for which public fnnHa are used. CODING,Words sferieken are deletions;words underlined are additions 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 568-187-02 11 J£r,purposes of thin section.»Piayir^ini equipment"means swings,sli^c,.i^lBfl ^p^., merry-go-rounds,seesaws,spring rocker..^^QljnpB..„„ other similar eguipment intnnrIM for UBe pr^1y Ky ^„,r_n and includes stairwayn rnmps.h^,,wdranH „„„,, guardrails,and protoctino Ml,,,rs tha,ai,rr^|r_..1ir access to,or act an mfnrv harr^0 ,_-uch amHtinwtfl,^ term does not includo busings.*o.yg,pien<w raH1ttq .„„ other associated structures wh^h „.v be 1ona,^__ Blaygrounds or adjacent recreation *r.oao (2)For purposes of this section.m,«.erm „nilh1 in funds"means funds provided bv rM starf>,,^„.y n municipality,a school district „a specif .^^,T 1T| agency of any of fnom The term „^,^t inn1„^„_„„ provided by the Federal en™™.—- (3)This section applies only hn ^g^„^__f ^ Playground equipment and new pTacement of „coraM^„,^_ groundcover Tt does not,app1y__t^aintenanGft nr.^^^ of equipment which was in place prior to onf.nW i o„,-r does it apply to HTn,rnMtruri^~^ch wafl ^^_.^ which contracts havo bnnn ni 1 ,„,,,r to 0r,oW 1 onno (4)Notwithstanding the provision,of fl„K».^ff (1| and (2),t.he Departmont of Bnvimn^^x Prnr^M^Bha11 nnr have the authority to nnfnrnn tT Lslonfl nf ,.„«.mMt_ unless the playground eouiman^^eon^.n^^,~~-h- decorative mulch or groundcover <a ,„«„,on flharA ,.„„ SeCti°n 2'(1)The Department of Pducation a^^^^^ annual notice to schoM nistriotfl tw ,..ood „hinh ia-„My ^ come in contact with children.»„*„Mch is hrfta^,4 „„ chromated copper arnonate.mi,r bo sealed „vt>ry 2 vearg ^^. nontoxic sealant The department -h.u COMlllfc wl rh rha t„_„ 2 CODING,Words stricken are deletions;words underlined are additions. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 568-187-02 treating industry,the Depar^eJ^M_Heia^^ Department of Environment Drnf.r M .~~~77 gocection to develop guideHnoo of sealing playground equipment made_with woo.t,oa^...nh^^a^e^o^r^rSenate afl proaltoLin subspffM^f1) Section 3.ULio 8tate .^„y nirrh„1 that^here are no ars^Mc^fr^treat_ed wood D^,.B wetland,or oth«r .«..•«.•«„,af.r)OY„^„_ „,„-(2'Th°apartment of Fnvirnnm^^.~fc~Mln ,„ 7~Broviae grantsto private nn»P»t..th-,t t at^o^eT^^^MS2S7aiS^£iilj-a^-^Svera^ Section 4.Hj__The followW m,n| ia)A retailor of T„nn1 treahB„M<,.„„HrQma^ ^Xeated^ood^ith the notlc npecif 1.,l„.„^J._— ^^^^Bent_tc_a residents struct„r».....,„..•..,,„ CODIHO,words 8tr4e)ten are deletions,words .n^lin^d are additions 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 568-187-02 wood treated with arsenic,Inoraan^.™«»lc.or an .^^ copper combination such as chr«m.f«*copper argent ,^M preservative,or a product contain^„ood trtm^«„itfl anv ftf these substances,must provide the o,^of th<l gr „„„.„_nni the resident if different with th-^ice aneMf-.^^ subsection (2). (2)The notice required by this aeoMon qhan ine1ll<,» the information guidelines develop bv thi>Wn<t,0f,gt,a._ Environmental Protection Agency for ^c^r mTn^umtt „«,_„ treated with chromated copper araen*te,as w1,aa ^^...^ which prominently states;"Urgent WnM^s Thia wo^^-..-..^ with arsenic.If children are,expected ^„ome in,n _h_„ with this wood,you must seal tM «~ood vihh a ,_^ sealant at least once every 2 years." 121—A Person who is obligated to ™-o,Hde hhin n»n„, and who falls to do so shaU r.f.mH -»-^purnhagOT.,.„.,„„ cost of the treats WOOd or w0od product- SeCtion 5-There is hereby .a^,!.^tronl rna General Revenue Fund to the nepartment-»>Education the „M „, ♦250,000 for fiscal year ant)2-2nm ^,r,ylafl nranra ^r.K1<, school districts and charter school ^Wp offBftr «.„,„„.,.. of sealing playground equipment n,a^e with wooH treate.d wl rh chromated copper arsenate Section 6.There is hereby appropriated from t-ho General Revenue Fund to the Depar.-n.ent of „nv,r ,„„., Protection the sum of »250.onn for fiBca1 voar 2Q02-2nm t-o provide grants to private companies which treat wood wl t-h chromated copper arsenate,to he „.ed to convert operaHona »» treat wood with a preservative that-*0&s Bofc contain ar.wn1n Section 7.This act shall take effect July 1,2002. CODING,Words sfcrieken are deletions,words underlined are additions 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 568-187-02 ***************************************** HOUSE SUMMARY Prohibits use of wood products treated with chromated copper arsenate in publicly funded playground equipment, and associated groundcovers,constructed or contracted for on or after October 1,2002.Provides for enforcement on state lands by the Department of Environmental Protection.Requires the Department of Education to annually notify school districts that a nontoxic sealant must be applied every 2 years to any such treated wood that is likely to come into contact with children. Provides for development of sealant application guidelines by the Department of Education,in consultation with the wood treating industry and the Departments ofHealthand Environmental Protection. Provides for grants to schools to offset the cost of sealing playground equipment.Prohibits state agencies from purchasing such treated wood for most applications, •i and specifies exceptions.Provides for grants for conversion of wood treating companies using chromated copper arsenate to use of preservatives that do not contain arsenic.Requires retailers and contractors to provide noticetocertain consumers of woodorwood products containingchromatedcopper arsenate.Provides for refunds when such notice is not provided.Provides appropriations. CODINGt Words sferieken are deletions;words underlined are additions THE NEWS ATONAL TharKUy,Man*a,,2QQ, Arsenic and young lace bad mix on playgrounds Arsenic isa dangerous play mate for children. Yet children all over the state are using arsenic-laced play ground equipment thatmay poison them. Wood pressure-treated witharsenic hasbeenusedforyearstoconstruct playgrounds,usuallywithlittle thought about the potentially deadly effecton children whotouchitorthe groundit'son.Florida hasevenbeen making itsown pressure-treated lum berataplantin Raiford,southwest of Jacksonville,widelyusingitinstate parks,forhighway guardrails and other applications.The wood isval ued for its resistance to moisture,ter mitesandfungi.Butthatusecomes with anunacceptablerisk. Thedangerfromwoodtreated with CCA —chromated copper arse nate—hasbeenknownforyears. The Environmental Protection Agen cy considered banning CCA-treated wood nearlytwo decades ago,butin stead allowed the lumber industry to conduct a voluntary consumer awarenessprogram.Usersaresup posed tobewarnedtoweardust maskswhilethey'resandingorsaw ing it,and to wash their clothing and handsafterhandlingit. -Like withmany industry-support edvoluntarycomplianceefforts— consumers aren't getting the mes sage.Many users around the state — includingpark systems inthisarea -♦seem to believe only extended con tact with CCA-treated woodisdan gerous.And they apparently don't know the Consumer Product Safety Commission longagowarned that sealants-don't keeparsenicfrom leaching to the surface of the wood and into the ground. In reality,researchers at the Uni versityof Florida andtheUniversity of Miami discovered two years ago that arsenic isgettingintothe ground all over Florida,sometimes reaching amounts farhigherthan the state allows in industrial cleanup sites.Morerecentplaygroundand park soU testsinGainesville,Jack- EDITORIALS Consumers aren't getting the message.Many users around the state —-including park systems in this area — seem tobelieve,wrongly, thatonly extended contact with CCA-treated wood is dangerous. sonville,Tarpon Springs and Tampa allhaveturnedupamountsofarse nic far above safe levels.* Asaresultof recent publicity about the danger,Port Orange offi cialshaveconductedsoil tests at the All Children's Playground on Spruce CreekRoadandareawaitingresults. Other area cities have notbeenso quick to respond. To,begin toreducetherisk,Gov. JebBushalreadyhasorderedthe state's wood-treatment plantto switch toother preservatives.But theonlyreal solution isfor the EPA tofinallystepinandfollow the lead ofmanyothercountriesthat already have banned CCA-treated wood. Until that happens,Volusia and Flagler officials oughttosurveythe soils wherever the contaminated woodhasbeenused,particularly in playgroundsandpicnicareas.Sim ply replacing theoldwoodequip ment with new,as the Volusia school districthasbeen doing,doesn'tget ridof what already may bein the soil.Officials in both counties also should be warning residents about decks,playground equipment,fences and improvements they have con structed themselves.Some,especial lyparents with smallchildren,may want to have their own property tested. The danger from CCA-treated wood already has been allowed to lurk near children fartoolong.It's nothing to play with. State;Touching treated wood may pose risk gy^ewJBSBiBmestoNiiNF^Tr Calendars. 2000:TheYear in Review sptimes.com Text-only BU liHIW.li.iJim j_.iiteripabay.com!?:",,' 'R^siafents'i«u.';'.;'..'; ''"IP Yellow Pages News sections Action Arts & Entertainment APTheWire Business CitrusCounty Columnists Floridian Hernando County- Letters Obituaries Opinion Pasco County Sports State Tampa Day WnrlH ft Nat-inn Classified Print thio otory Touching treated wood may pose risk Normal contact with the wood used for playgrounds can give kids unacceptable doses of arsenic,an expert hired by the state says. By JULIE HAUSHRMAN ©St.Petersburg Times,published April 18,200 TALLAHASSEE -Ascientific expert hired by the h72 fom icn co dgct enough arsenic °n theirsolln8healedwoodplaygroundsand decks to pose ahealthrisk. The expert.University of Florida researcher Steve swi eh u,^|S "1C S!alC f °U'd e,1C0Uraec P'Wounds to <rs T 'S'°''Ch°°Se W00d tl,at's treatedwiinanarsenic-free preservative. "Despite the (act (hat the risks can vary,...we should wood"S?,b°Ut UnreStriCted C°nt^with CCAvSl£5 nWr°le m"draft rep°rt ^missionedb)the Ilonda Department of Environmental Protection. Nonn.1 contact with the wood can give children arsenicdoseshighenoughtobeunacceptablefromahealth protection standpoint,"Roberts wrote. .**♦!,„,i.,,,% htfp:/Av\vw '•^imcs.com/Nc\\«;/0418ni/^!'ii ./rm>U4 I ol/i/.NiaiC/I unci i 111L ijrcatcd \vood.shtml Page1 of 5 Yellow Pagos Special Links LucyMorgan See where the lightning strikes are. rilp for the BV •NEWS •STATS „ •roRuiif; digitalcity.com From the Times state desk •Bill expands disabled vouchers •Bill would create dads'registry •NAACP,46 prison guards claim harassment, racism,retaliation •Touching treated woodmay pose risk •'It's food,drink and injections' •Bills place Florida Bar In state's cross hairs 1'i o State:Touching treated wood may pose risk jFindyoUr local •news section ;Home "^Garden JOtdobrS;. IPeripectFve'.•'.: Special Sections Arena FB(Storm) Buccaneers Devil Rays Lightning Mutiny Neighborhood Times NorthofTampa Ongoing stories Police report Schools Seniority Specialreports Stocks Web specials Contact Us All Departments heres not aproblem,and some of the data suggests mere is,Roberts said in an interview Tuesday "Until we have a better handle on this,it would make sense to reduce exposure." Most pressure-treated lumber is infused with chromated copper arsenate,or CCA,a pesticide that contains CI *Dvl 11 Kf. Vi t e ggCS'l COa'"lg eXiSli"g trci,l«l ™Od«A asealant,even though it's debatable whether thatKeepsarsenicfromleachingout.The state of California cnlcd",;TLr"PUWiC l'-1-—'Playg.ound.sbe "scaled,and Minnesota ,s trying to pass asimilar law, Roberts'fuulings could .set up anew battlegroundbetweenstateregulatorsandthewood-treatmentindustry,which says pressure-treated lumber it safe. The finding.,also could affect dozens of wooden Playgrounds around the state-in parks,day carecentersandschools.} "Clearly,".said DEP Secretary David Struhs,"this is go ng to force a lot of people to re-evaluate ho wenonagethensk.The scientific work that's being done hctehasratsed questions all over the state--and ,r "As we go forward,we're not going ,0 use any more of Ih'swood on stale parks,livcntually,it will all bereplaced.We have to figure out what we're go ng ,o do with (he wood that's already out there." when thildien play ,n sod near playgrounds with treatedwood.Instead,he was paid by ,hc sUUc to rcview^" studies hat estimate how „n,eh arsenic kids might be exposed to when they touch the wood. >'e viewed.studies by government agencies inal,forma,(onneclicut and Washington,I)C andfoundtntkulscanpickup.significant levels of aLie by touching the wood. Roberts looked at the risk for other health problems thai cmc can cause including rashes,skin lesions neurological problems and an increased risk of iftp:'Av\vw.mm'Mr.-"News/OnSOrSta-e/Touchin,,.,,„ed wood.slitml Page2 of 5 •Legislature 2001 •Around the state •McKay signals some flexibilityon tax cuts •Error underestimates arsenic risk •Arsenic facts and tips From the wire •Fed Unexpectedly Cuts Rates •Dow Jones Up 409,Nasdaq Rises 163 •China-U.S.Talks at Standstill •PalestiniansSay Israel Enters Gaza •Burundi President Removed From Power •Court Upholds N.C.District •AOL Revenues, CashEarnings Rise •Devil RaysFire Manager Rothschild State:Touching treated Wood may pose risk littn^'v.-ww cardiovascular disease.Roberts says he has heard no reports of children suffering these effects,but says his calculations show theriskis there. As part of a special report published last month,the St Petersburg Times commissioned independent tests of playground soil near five wooden playgrounds in the Tampa Bay area.The tests revealed arsenic in every case,at levels higher than the state allows when polluters have to clean up contaminated neighborhoods. Some playgrounds around the state were shut down after tests delected arsenic in the soil.Some have reopened,even though there's no official "safe"cutoff for arsenic in playground soils.In most cases the decision on whether to close a park has been 'a judgment call by local officials. And local officials face a quandary over what to do At Al Lopez Park in Tampa,for example,officials closed the wooden playground after the Times'test showed arsenic in the soil.The city commissioned its own tests and found arsenic at higher levels than the Times test ' did.Parks director Ross Pcrlita decided to reopen it saying,"Wc feci there's no immediate danger al all." Now Fcrlita said,news that kids might face a health risk from touching the wood adds even more uncertainty. "Wc want to do what's right,"Fcrlita said "The frustration is not having any one agency that represents everybody that's saying:Yes,there's a problem." In New Port Richcy,where tests found arsenic in playground soil at Sims Park,parks director Rob Consalvo opted not to close the playground.The city's consultants said the risk from the arsenic in the soil was low. But no one considered arsenic exposure that may be comingwhenkidstouchthewood. "Obviously,if it's harmful thai children put their hands on it,that's a problem.But somebody give us something mwriting.Everything we get is controversial,and nothing is scientific enough." In the Volusia County town of DeLand,park :Ptimcs.fom^rwS/0.1I8(J1/Su,lcrr«,.;Jl;nu treated wood.shtml Page3 of 5 .1/1 <?/nt State:Touching treated wood-may pose risk superintendent Larry Nordman told the Daytona Beach News Journal:"I think it's probably one of those things that youd have to lay on it naked for 100 years before yourexposureistoo great." In fact,no studies confirm that. In Brooksville,officials decided to keep Tom Varn Park open,even though arsenic has leaked from the wood into the soil.The city posted anotice saying the wood in the playgrounds and picnic tables was treated with "a chemical preservative that should not be ingested." "Although we follow the manufacturer's recommendation of regularly resealing the lumber the preservative may accumulate on railings and other surfaces,as well as in the ground under the equipment As a precaution,unwrapped food should not be stored in direct contact with this pressure treated wood or on the ground.Please wash your hands before calinp "ihe notice advises. Discovery Playground in Tarpon Springs remains closed,as does a playground at the Long Center in Clearwater. One state lawmaker,Republican Rep.Larry Crow of Iaim Harbor,says he wants to settle the issue by banning CCA wood completely in playgrounds. "It was originally thought that lead paint was not a problem,"Crow said."I think,ultimately,the issue will come down to this:If our children are being exposed to an increased health risk because of arsenic,it will not be tolerated,and we're going to do something about it I mean,if achild cannot be protected on a playground wherecanhebe?"' Recent coverage The poison in your back yard (March 11,2001) ••-*Mhio.tory £J^this t story jPast Seven Days •[Gol ^:^nvvv.,p(f,nc.n»niTic:vs-7)11R»M/Siatcn\Hichi!,K (rented wood shlml Page 4 of 5