• Creosote can be created by the high temperature treatment of wood or coal in a fireplace.fireplace image by askthegeek from Fotolia.com
  
  Creosote is a mixture of various chemicals, usually the result of high-temperature treatment of coal or wood. Creosote which is made of coal-tar is a wood preservative and an ingredient in skin disease medications. However, creosote can have many negative effects both on your health and the environment.
  
  

Environment

• The effects of creosote on the environment come mainly from its release into water streams, rivers or lakes and into groundwater via the soil. Drinking water which contains creosote is considered contaminated water and can have negative effects on human health including renal failure, according to Eco-usa.net. Lakes, rivers and other bodies of water which get contaminated by creosote can have negative impact on the health of wildlife which lives in or drinks the water such as fish, bears, deer and other animals, according to studies compiled by Eco-usa.net.
  
  

Metabolism

• Creosote can come into, or be metabolized by your body in a number of ways. You can ingest it from contaminated food or water. You can breathe it in through your lungs if it's in the air. Finally, it can be absorbed through your skin if your skin comes into contact with it in water, soil or in the air. Metabolizing other chemicals, such as nutrients from the food you eat, are affected by your body's metabolizing the creosote though, any creosote which is ingested will not be stored by your body, according to Eco-usa.net. The ingested creosote will be in your waste a few days after ingestion occurs.
  
  

Kidneys

• Accidental or intentional exposure to creosote, either through ingestion or any other way, can result in various kidney problems including renal failure which in turn can cause various illnesses up to, and including, death, according to the Journal of Medical Case Reports. Kidneys are supposed to filter unwanted chemicals from your body and then process the waste. If your kidneys are unable to process or filter the waste, the waste goes into the blood system and causes a number of problems, including death. Creosote can impair your kidneys' ability to process waste and, depending of the amount of creosote to which you have been exposed, or the length of time for which you have been exposed, according to the Journal of Medical Case Reports.