Exposure to creosotes, coal tar, coal tar pitch, or coal tar pitch volatiles may result in minor to serious health effects. Eating food or drinking water contaminated with a high level of these compounds may cause a burning in the mouth and throat as well as stomach pain. Additionally, taking herbal remedies containing creosote bush leaves may result in damage to the liver or kidney.

It has even been discovered that temporary exposure to large amounts of creosotes caused employee poisonings as well as increased their risk of side effects such as kidney and liver disease, seizures, skin irritation similar to chemical burns, rashes, mental disarray and death.

However, when an individual is exposed to lower levels of creosote over longer periods of time and direct skin contact occurs, the risk of skin damage similar to a severe sunburn as well as cornea damage are increased. The respiratory tract can become highly irritated with long-term levels of exposure to coal tar, coal tar pitch, coal tar pitch volatiles and creosotes.

With direct skin contact during wood treatment or other manufacture of creosote-treated products as well as coke and natural gas factories, causes skin and scrotum cancer.

Prolonged skin exposure to soot and coal tar creosote has been associated with cancer of the scrotum in chimney sweepers. In studies, rats and mice fed a large amount of wood creosote at one time had convulsions and died. Rats fed a smaller amount of wood creosote for a long period developed kidney and liver problems and died. Exposure to coal tar products through the skin has resulted in skin cancer in animals.

Animals intentionally exposed to coal-tar contaminated food eventually developed lung, liver and stomach cancer, according to studies. Additionally, air exposure to coal tar caused the development of lung and skin cancers.

Coal tar and probably creosote have been classified as a carcinogenics to humans by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has also identified coal tar creosote as a probable human carcinogen.

Testing for Creosote Exposure

Unfortunately, no medical test can determine if a person has suffered exposure to wood creosote, coal tar creosote, coal tar, coal tar pitch mixtures, or coal tar pitch volatiles. Although, chemicals that exist in creosote can be detected and measured by medical physicians through body tissue, blood and urine tests. Typically, doctors perform such tests on employees who work with and are exposed to coal tar creosote, coal tar, and coal tar pitch to monitor their exposure.