Recycled Rubber Mulch
Mulching is an important aspect of gardening since it helps the soil retain moisture as well as keeping it nutrient rich for healthy plant growth. Furthermore, mulching also kills off existing weeds and prevents the growth of new ones.
The problem that many gardeners come up against is not so much about the process of mulching, but which materials are best to use. There are numerous types of mulch but not all of them are the ideal choice for every garden. For instance, mulch made from leaves and other organic materials tend to smell once they get wet. Although the effects can be beneficial for plants, people, especially young children as well as those with weaker respiratory systems, cannot always tolerate the stench.
To overcome this issue, many gardeners have resorted to synthetic mulches, particularly rubber. Rubber mulch is made from recycled tyres, which helps the environment. It is non-toxic and safe for children, pets and plants. It is virtually maintenance free and will not decompose or blow away in the wind. It offers good drainage after rain and does not attract insects or animals.
Because production cost on the part of the manufacturer is minimal, recycled rubber mulch is cheaper for consumers as well. This fact alone should merit serious attention from gardeners all over the world. Recycled rubber mulch should be the preferred option based on the price together with the additional environmentally friendly advantages that it offers.
Recycled rubber mulch is available in several grades, particle sizes and a range of colors. As well as garden mulch, it can also be used as a covering for playground areas offering a softer and safer environment for children to play.
From a landscaping point of view, rubber mulch is durable and can withstand all environmental conditions that may prove destructive for organic mulches. In addition, it is heavier, will not blow away in the wind and is not as smelly as its organic counterparts.
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Rubber mulch is not good for gardens or playgrounds. Rubber mulch is made from grinding up used rubber tires. In some states rubber tires are a "hazardous waste" and in other states they are considered a "special waste". Whichever the case, used rubber tires are not a material that is either good for plant material or for soils.
According to the North Carolina Department of Agriculture, "Ground rubber contains 1.55 percent zinc. Under acid conditions in the soil, zinc bound in the rubber becomes available for plant uptake. Research shows that as little as 2 percent ground rubber mixed with sand causes a decline in plant growth that is directly attributable to zinc toxicity…. Although zinc is essential for plant growth, most landscape soils and media used for container-grown nursery stock already contain adequate levels. Therefore, addition of zinc from any source may cause more problems than it resolves.
Ground rubber, as either a mulch or a media amendment, increases the potential of zinc toxicity, especially when coupled with application of micronutrients in the fertilizer."
The manufacturers of the rubber mulch for gardens present it as one of convenience because it won't break down and people won't have to mulch again for many years. However, real garden mulch is meant to break down and become part of the soil.
Why is this material a problem for gardens?
First of all, ground up rubber tires are filled with a number of toxic chemicals and these chemicals are capable of leaching out of the tires. Secondly, the rubber absorbs heat and gets very hot in the warmer months. Temperatures have been measured at many times hotter than the grass around the rubber tire material.
The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station has analyzed a sample of ground-up rubber tires and found major toxic compounds. One is a skin and eye irritant, one is a recognized carcinogen and another is harmful to mucous membranes.
Other well-known chemicals that are often found in rubber tires include benzene, which is a carcinogen, phthalates, which are suspected to be a reproductive toxicant, and latex, which can cause allergic reactions in some people.
If ground-up rubber tire mulch is put on vegetable gardens it might make one worry that the vegetables could take-up some of the chemicals found in the rubber tires.
Rubber tires have always been very hard to dispose of. They have cost industry a lot of money to get rid of, so one can only imagine how happy industry is to grind them up and sell them to unsuspecting people as a recycled product.
What had once been a hazardous waste is now being turned into a profitable industry - but at whose expense? Surely putting ground up used rubber tires into one's garden can hardly be called going "Green."
Recycling is good - but there are certain things that should not be recycled. We should not recycle asbestos, we should not recycle lead, and we should not recycle rubber tires, and certainly not in gardens or where children play.
Nancy Alderman, President
Environment and Human Health, Inc.
1191 Ridge Road
North Haven, CT 06473
(phone) 203-248-6582
Environment and Human Health, Inc. (EHHI) is a nine-member, non-profit organization composed of doctors, public health professionals and policy experts. It is dedicated to protecting human health from environmental harms through research, education and improving public policy.
EHHI's support comes only from foundations and committed individuals. EHHI does not receive any funds from businesses or corporations.
One correction, nearly all lead is recycled. I believe it's around 95% of all lead used today is recycled. Mostly from used car batteries. Why would you not want to recycle it? Putting lead in landfills is much worse than re-using it.