Creosote Railroad Ties used in Landscaping - Ask Extension
My neighbor used 20-30 creosote railroad ties in landscape to create a bulkhead 8 ft. from my house. This area is a side yard. If I were to install ...
Knowledgebase
Creosote Railroad Ties used in Landscaping #639673
Asked May 22, 2020, 8:31 PM EDT
My neighbor used 20-30 creosote railroad ties in landscape to create a bulkhead 8 ft. from my house. This area is a side yard. If I were to install a garden it might be a foot from the creosote ties. Is my soil safe? Will the creosote leach into drinking water? Breathing safe? Should I demand HOA to have owner remove ties? In the summer when it heats up, you can smell the creosote as if you were walking near railroad tracks.
Deschutes County Oregon
Expert Response
Hello:
The general consensus seems to be that risks for human and plant health are very low from old/discarded railroad ties. And I have to assume that these are old ties since it's unlikely a homeowner could get access to freshly-treated ties. What little research that has been done on reclaimed ties indicates most if not all of the leaching that might occur has done so.
You can find a detailed answer to concerns about homeowner use of railroad ties on the Ask an Expert site at https://ask.extension.org/expert/questions/366142.
Therefore, I think your best course of action may be to focus on the odor. While the toxicity affects are debatable given the age, the 'objectionable odor' of creosote is pretty well-documented.
