Choose Your Mulch with Care
To help retain moisture, it’s good to replenish that layer of mulch around your trees, but did you know that some wood mulch may have been treated with chromated copper arsenate (CCA), a chemical used to retard wood rot and found to be a carcinogen? Despite the fact that this chemical was banned in 2004, some salvaged wood used to manufacture garden mulch may contain this dangerous chemical. Toxic dyes that are unsafe for you and your pets are also sometimes used to color mulch. Cocoa bean mulch is not recommended due to a possible risk of poisoning for dogs. Although cypress mulch is generally free of additives, much of it on the market was not sustainably harvested and could come from deforested Florida or Louisiana wetlands. Emerald ash borers could be hitching a ride in mulch from an infected area if the woodchips are larger than an inch in diameter.
Bottom line – ask before you purchase. A safe alternative is the free woodchip pile at Armatage Park, 5700 block of Russell Ave. S.
Sep
07
Comments are closed.