Daily News Archive

Borates Used Successfully As Alternative to Highly Toxic Wood Preservatives
(Beyond Pesticides, August 15, 2003) According to the August 2003 issue of the Old House Journal, borate-based wood preservatives are being used successfully as an alternative to choromated copper arsenate (CCA), a highly toxic, arsenic based wood preservative. The article points out that even large historical facilities, such as the 1850's Pontalba Building in New Orleans, the 1780's Fort Mackinac in Michigan and the 1890's Belleview Biltmore Resort in Clearwater, FL have all used borates to protect their historic structures. Borates have also been used for decades as a control for ants, roaches and other household insects.

Today's Photo Story featuring the Pontalba Building, was sent to us by Allen Cohen, the owner of Bio-Logical Pest Management, a least toxic pest management company that serves Maryland and Washington, DC. To read more about borates as a wood preservative, see the full article at www.oldhousejournal.com.