Cedar

Re: Cedar *LINK*

JL work

>Unfortunately true. It contains some allergens - which is why it works against moths. You shouldn't use the chips or shavings for small animals (hamsters; mice, gerbils; etc.). Cedar dust is also a bad actor - wear a mask or a respirator. If you are using it for foodstuff application, some of the allergenic compounds may leach into the food. See the link


Cedar

Re: Cedar

Andrew Hilton

>Yes, Cedar is toxic. So is Pine. So is Oak, mahogany, cypress, maple, hickory, and ebony. Cherry is potentially "toxic" at certain times of the year because compounds in it (mainly the foliage but sometimes the wood itself), when combined with stomach acid, produces cyanide, for example. Any wood is toxic to somebody somewhere. Of course, my guinea pig has a problem with cedar and the horses have problems with walnut but I'll confine my remarks to the human animal for now.

"Toxic" is thrown around these days so much that it's lost it's meaning I think. There are so many levels of toxicity and meanings that that word is a bit like saying "good" or "bad". It's, unfortunately, in the mind of the person itching or sneezing most. What is "Toxic" to one person is mildly irritating to another and completely innocuous to others in this context. Something truely "Toxic" is going to be bad for everybody everywhere.

Do some people have a reaction to Cedar? You bet. It can come in the form of a respiratory condition (Western Red Cedar has a very small dust particle size) or even a contact dermatalogical condition. Is it "toxic" ? No. I and nobody I know that regularly works this wood has ever had a problem with it over the past 30+ years. I personally have unfinished cedar bowls that I have used weekly for years now. No problems. Does that mean it's NOT going to cause a problem for somebody somewhere or even me in the future? Of course not.

Personally, I don't make any of my treen from cedar as most people don't like the color, smell, or taste it leaves. Cedar isn't toxic but it sure can cause problems for some people. Not all people or even a majority of people though, especially in a food-contact item.

Not sure Toxic is the right word.

John Cotten

>As mentioned Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus Virginianii) is the cedar in question if the person is in Florida. I just did a rather extensive consulting report for a company that makes ERC pet bedding commerically earlier this year. From the health standpoint Plecatic Acid causes respiratory alminent in approximately 2 out of every 10 persons.

I can in some cases cause similar problems for persons who have this reaction in food utensils. The oils in the ERC leach out into the food. It can taint the taste, but more importantly it can cause reactions in some persons.

I am one of them. So to cut to the chase, I would not use ERC for food related items.

John Cotten

Scribe Mark Woodworks

Four Winds Forestry Consulting