Planting Food in Creosote Logs?

Q: My mom and I are planting a garden. She has some old creosote logs about 40 years old. Is it ok to plant strawberries in the holes of the logs? I don't want anyone to get sick on strawberry short cake.

Hardiness Zone: 9a

Bryan from Longview WA

A: Bryan,

I would not recommend using creosote logs for landscaping or gardening regardless of how old they are. It's hard to say whether or not your strawberry plants (or the guests eating your shortcake) would be visibly affected, but the chemicals leeching into the ground from the coal tar and creosote would certainly be causing unseen environmental damage. Around 300 known toxic chemicals have been identified in coal tar and creosote. Some of these chemicals breakdown and move through the soil (and into the ground water) rather quickly, while others remain intact (and toxic) in the soil and in landscaping timbers for years.

According to the Center for Disease Control, some of the serious negative health effects brought on by long-term exposure to creosote include chemical burns to the eyes, lungs and skin, kidney and liver problems, skin cancer, loss of consciousness and in severe cases, even death. How it affects a person's health depends on the level of exposure and the susceptibility of the individual.

Because of their size, children are more susceptible to the negative effects. Given the fact that most countries in Europe have banned the selling of products containing coal tar and creosote to consumers and that a large number of EPA declared Superfund sites (areas slated for cleanup due to hazardous waste) the U.S. contain creosote residue, it seems only logical to avoid contact to creosote by finding alternatives to using creosote treated products for landscaping and gardening.

Ellen