On Sun, 10 Jun 2018 11:59:49 -0500, dpb wrote:

On 6/10/2018 10:50 AM, Spalted Walt wrote:
...

I remember as a kid in the `50s & `60s the unmistakable smell of
Creosote being a pretty common thing, especially during the hot
summer months. That once familiar odor has now disappeared. I
wonder if it is still used at all anymore?
...

No, we have a "veritable plethora" of essentially useless replacements
now since EPA banned it for everything except commercial registered use.

"Currently, creosote is used for commercial purposes only; it has no
registered residential uses. Creosote is a restricted use pesticide that
can be used in outdoor settings such as in railroad ties and utility
poles. Indoor applications of creosote are prohibited as well as
application to wood intended for use in interiors or for use in contact
with food, feed, or drinking water."

Can't find a fence post that will last much over five years even, any
more where have 60+ yr old in pasture that are still serviceable. Part
is the sorry-axx wood they use but mostly it's lack of any serviceable
treatment.

I would like to see a Constitutional Amendment to the effect that the
government can't ban anything until they have a substitute that is
proven by multiple independently replicated experiment to work as
well, and if no such exists but the ban must go through anyway, the
government is permanently liable for any resulting costs to the
individual, but that taxes could not be increased in proportion. I
suspect that if that latter provision was made retroactive we'd see a
lot of stuff come back.