Creosote Railroad Ties: Toxicity Risk and Safe Alternatives

The Creosote Hazard

Railroad ties are treated with creosote—a coal-tar distillate containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), phenols, and cresols. These are:

• Carcinogenic (EPA Class B1 probable human carcinogen)
• Persistent—leach into soil for decades
• Mobile—move with water through soil profile

Risk to Your Fruit Trees

Apple and almond trees 3 feet from ties are at significant risk. Roots extend well beyond drip lines; creosote compounds uptake into woody tissue and fruit. No safe distance in a 3-foot bed.

Remediation Options

1. Complete removal (best): Excavate ties + 2+ feet of surrounding soil. Dispose as hazardous waste. Replace with clean soil.
2. Barrier installation: Vertical HDPE liner (60 mil) between ties and bed, keyed into impermeable layer. Expensive; uncertain long-term.
3. Relocate food garden (practical): Build new raised beds elsewhere. Use untreated cedar, stone, or concrete blocks (see cement block bed video). Plant ornamentals near ties.

Do Not

• Burn ties (toxic smoke).
• Chip/mulch them.
• Grow any food crops nearby.

Your health and your trees' safety justify the effort to relocate.