Abstract

Chromated copper arsenate (CCA)-treated wood has prompted public concern regarding the contamination of livestock-rearing environment. We investigated the current status of CCA-treated waste wood used as bedding material for livestock in the Hokkaido area. Two-step surveys with structured question and purposive sampling were conducted to clarify the current status of wood based bedding materials for contamination of CCA compounds in farms. The analyses of CCA compounds with an atomic absorption spectrometer indicated unusually high concentrations of chromium, copper, and arsenic in some bedding materials. These findings suggest that ca. 2 % (n = 84) of bedding materials for livestock are most likely contaminated with CCA-treated waste wood in the Hokkaido area.