![]() ![]() ![]() It also leaches 2-Mercaptobenzothiazole (MBT) and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) which are shown have detrimental effects on human health as well as the environment. It may take a bit more time than wood mulch to break down, but it is not immune to the ravages of weather, bacteria, fungi and insects and yes, rubber mulch does provide habitat for insects.Īs rubber mulch breaks down it leaches other chemicals, primarily heavy metals such as aluminum, cadmium, chromium, molybdenum, selenium and zinc. First of all, rubber mulch is not permanent. In order to attempt to answer the question you need to break down some of the pros of rubber mulch in gardens. There are differing opinions regarding the safety of rubber mulch and plant, for that matter, regarding the safety of rubber mulch and people. Rather than asking if rubber mulch is bad, a better query is whether it is safe. Rubber mulch is said to be permanent, slows weeds and fungal disease, doesn’t run off with irrigation or heavy rains, and is an environmentally friendly option.įrom the benefits listed, rubber mulch doesn’t seem all that bad, or is it? Is Rubber Mulch Safe? Rubber mulch is touted to have several benefits over wood mulch as well. On the surface, the idea of grinding tires up to repurpose as mulch sounds wonderful. On the one hand, isn’t the idea of repurposing tires a good one? We are often encouraged to reuse, repurpose and recycle to save our planet. The question of whether rubber mulch is bad is a difficult one to answer and is most certainly a polarizing one. The resulting rubber mulch is then often dyed in a rainbow of hues and sold as rubber mulch for gardens or for playgrounds or sports facilities. Buffings come from worn down tread after it is removed from the tire before retreading. Nuggets come from tires ground up after their steel bands have been removed. Rubber mulch for gardens and playgrounds is derived from either waste tire buffings or nuggets of synthetic rubber. Rubber mulch is one such byproduct made from recycling rubber tires. Today more attempts are being made to reuse the rubber from the tires, which on the surface seems like a great idea. What to do with all those used tires has been an ongoing debate for decades. Add up new tires for the world’s population in a year and you end up with over one billion end-of-life tires. What is Rubber Mulch for Gardens?Īny car owner knows that at one time or other the vehicle will need new tires. The effects of rubber mulch in soil are somewhat contested and, at the very least, the information does not lead one to a definitive answer that rubber mulch is bad, nor that it is beneficial. As with anything new, questions began to arise about rubber mulch and plants, like “is rubber mulch safe?” This is the foremost concern. A more recent option is rubber mulch for gardens. Laying mulch down in the garden accomplishes multiple tasks it retards weeds, retains moisture and beautifies the landscape to name a few. ![]()
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