If you’ve ever walked down the mulch isle in a big box store, you know there are many mulches to choose from. Black mulch, brown mulch, red mulch, playground mulch, chocolate mulch, and different sizes of pine bark mulch.
It can be difficult to choose the right mulch for your landscape or garden. But have you ever really thought about where to purchase your mulch?
The last time I was shopping for mulch at a big box store, I read the front of the bag, “made from forest products”.
This sounded like a good option, but I noticed on the back of the bag under ingredients said, “this mulch is made from pallets and construction refuse which has been dyed.”
This was definitely not what I was expecting!
So this mulch “made from forest products”, is really made from construction debris and old pallets! This could include just about anything, from moldy flooring, pressure treated wood, hazardous materials, and toxic chemicals. All of it nicely shredded and dyed to resemble “made from forest products.”
The University of Washington found chemical residues and heavy metals in mulch made from construction debris.
As with composts, woody mulch quality is influenced by the source of materials. Mulches created from branches and tree trimmings often contain a diversity of leaves, wood, and bark, which contributes to a highly functional mulch. In contrast, woody mulch made from wood recovered from construction and demolition debris can contain pressure-treated lumber.
In one Florida study, 18 of 22 samples collected from debris processing facilities contained arsenic (from chromated copper arsenate-treated wood) at concentrations greater than the state’s allowable levels. Similarly, mill wastes that contained formaldehyde and other wood processing residues reduced survival of tree seedlings when used as a mulch.
Linda Chalker-Scott, Washington State University, Puyallup Research and Extension Center (download study here)
Organic mulch is made from naturally occurring material, but that doesn’t mean all mulches are the same, where you purchase your mulch makes a difference. The mulch from Reliable Peat is made sustainably and never contains any toxins or hazardous materials.
