Ground Up Tire Mulch

[antigrassguy]

Rubber mulch is bad. My reason for posting here is that I have had some clients ask my opinion, on using rubber mulch, and so I went out to learn more. Turned out that its a very bad idea to use this waste product as mulch, in my opinion. I would post some links, but I dont know how. Google... Horticultural Myths Sept. 2005, then google... Paghats Garden Deadly Rubber Mulch. This page has links to other studies and info. Learn about the chemicals used to make tires and the NUMEROUS hazards associated with them. Feel free to PM me or ask anything here and I will try to help.

 

[antigrassguy]

Toxic mulch

I have since become even more disenchanted with this product. The more Im learning the more I cant believe people buy this stuff for their plants and children. Its use as landscape/playground material is very disturbing for me. The environmental and health hazards associated with rubber mulch needs to be addressed and I am looking into this arena.

 

[jefeVTtreeman]

questions

are there not chemicals in regular mulch? growing up in a city whats the difference between playing on tire mulch and black top, i have seen those really nice playground sets from rainbow sombody and they sell tire mulch to use. I thought it was a god idea as for maintanence reasons but if it does decay in someway cant be good for anything.

 

[turnkey4099]

Won't go into the hazards of mulch but...

Several years ago, the state or county (Washington) used ground tires in fill for a road. Didn't work, it caught fire and smoldered. Can't recall any details but I think they finally had to dig it all out.

Harry K

 

[gasman]

For childrens play areas I have fond woodchips are the way to go. Cheaper than mulch and do not stick to kids clothes. This is my first year using it but so far I definitely consider it a step above mulch.

 

[antigrassguy]

Good Read

jefeVTtreeman, a good web site that has a good point-counter point read can be found at www.natureswayresources.com/rubber.html Referances at bottom of page for more reading AND there is so much more.

 

[Bermie]

What about those preformed tree circle covers?
I have a client who has them under his citrus trees, they appear to be recycled rubber, loosely pressed into a pad with a hole for the trunk, porus to let water & air penetrate, they are a funky reddish brown colour, anything wrong with them?

 

[antigrassguy]

tree rings???

Bermie, I dont have a clue about preformed tree ring circles. Do a little digging on a search engine to see what they are made of. Right now Im on a quest to figure out this rubber mulch thing. IE: who pays for research, who governs this product and any legal stuff associated with it, EPA's thoughts, stuff like that.