Railway ties are often used in residential landscaping such as borders around gardens, decking and retaining walls. However, railroad ties are typically coated in Creosote, a chemical used to preserve wood and as a pesticide. Creosote has been found to be a probable human carcinogen and so any direct or indirect contact should be avoided. By using railway ties along water bodies or shorelines, the creosote can infiltrate into the soils and water, and then come into contact with humans and animals.
