Are sleepers dangerous?

inishindie

Hi

Could anyone clarify the laws on selling railway sleepers?

I was under the impression that they can only be sold for industrial use. Would raised beds be industrial?

Let me explain why I ask...

I have just been talking to a woman who has bought a bale (24 sleepers) off of a agricultural merchant. He said thay were from abroad and soaked in creosote so they will last years (he was singing the praises of creosote).

Since buying them it has been pointed out to the woman that there were cancer scares so she asked the bloke of he would take them back ,he refused, saying he has a mountain of them himself....

This seems a bit unfair as the woman feels that she cannot make her vegetable raised beds out of them because of risk of contamination and is left with a potential health risk in her garden form materials that she dare not use.

I have read the link from the OPSI but am still confused.

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2003/20031511.htm


Should this person be selling creosote soaked sleepers? Does anyone have any more details please.

Any advice would be gratefully received

Cheers

Ian

Kristopherus

There are millions of them all over the country - used for all sorts of purposes, including raised beds. If they are soaked in creosote, is it recent or are they ancient ? I have never heard of it being a carcinogen. Anyway they will get well weathered over the many years she will have them.

inishindie

Hi Kristopherus

Apparently the sleepers really smell of creosote. This would make me think that they are quite fresh, not new possibly as creosote was banned in 2003. They came over from Europe. She is worried about the weathering too as this might cause the chemicals to leech into the soil where the veggies are being grown. She has had cancer scares in the past and doesn't feel as though she can risk anything that could pose a problem.

I found this earlier, it's quite interesting

http://www.railwaysleeper.com/railway%20sleeper%20treatments.htm

Cheers

OwenM

Creosote is a carcinogen and is banned.

If in doubt and a doubt does exist here, then don't use them, especially for vegetable beds.

If they were a couple of years old they would be fine as most of it evaporates slowly off.

Tabnabs

Fair bit of accurate information here:
http://www.northampton.gov.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?documentID=439&pageNumber=2

Wishbone Ash

Kristopherus wrote: »

I have never heard of it being a carcinogen

Yes, it's not for sale anymore. Creosote 'substitute' has replaced it.