"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...

In article ,
"Michael Berridge" writes:
|
| Creosote treated sleepers are now banned from sale, as is creosote due
| to carcinogenic properties.

I doubt very much that is the real reason. It is almost certainly
because the chemical companies can make a lot more money selling
their much less effective solutions. They have been pressuring
the government and EU to ban creosote for a decade.

While creosote IS slightly carcinogenic, I know of no evidence that
it is a realistic risk. Nor that it is actually more harmful to the
environment than the alternatives. There may be some, but wasn't
when I last looked.


It's probably worse than that. Nobody makes creosote for it's own sake,
it's a waste product from the manufacture of coke. If it can't be sold
(and in truth it's almost given away) then it will have to be disposed of
somewhere. I wonder where it will turn up?

Michael Saunby