The Federal government is in a hurry today to rid a Clark County neighborhood of potentially dangerous chemicals.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is involved in an emergency cleanup in Winchester. The cleanup is at Kentucky Wood Preserving, an abandoned wood treatment business.

Investigators say the former business used copper, chromium and arsenic to pressure-treat wood for decks and playground equipment. 80-thousand gallons of the toxic chemicals are stored at the former Winchester plant.

The cleanup began Wednesday and is expected to take about six weeks. The cleanup is expected to cost about $250 thousand dollars.

AP Story

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) - Federal environmental officials have begun an emergency Superfund cleanup at an abandoned wood treatment business in Clark County, Kentucky.

The cleanup at the former Kentucky Wood Preserving plant is expected to take about six weeks and cost about 250-thousand dollars.

The Lexington Herald-Leader reports on its Web site today that Kentucky Wood Preserving used copper chromated arsenate wood preservatives in its operations before going out of business last fall.

CCA contains copper, chromium and arsenic. It has been used to pressure treat wood for decks, playground equipment and other outdoor uses since the 1930s.

In 2003, manufacture of the chemical was halted over concerns that children could be exposed to arsenic by touching the wood and putting their hands in their mouths.

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)