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Look for this logo to ensure you are getting mulch that is safe from chemicals or toxic substances
What’s in your mulch? Consumers concerned about what might be in their mulch, especially when it comes to hazardous materials such as the chemicals used for treating wood, now have a valuable resource.
More and more people are making an effort to be more environmentally friendly, from the cars we buy to the food we eat. But have you ever thought about mulch? That’s right, mulch.
Did you ever think about that organic garden of yours just might be topped off with a nice thick layer of arsenic or chromated copper arsenate (CCA for short) or any one of many not-so-organic chemicals. The potential health risks are sobering and beyond the scope of this mention.
However, now you have a friend in the mulch and soil industry. In 2004 The Mulch & Soil industry adopted standards prohibiting the use of CCA-treated wood in all consumer mulch and soil products. The Mulch & Soil Council also developed a Product Certification program to help consumers identify mulches and soils that comply with industry standards and contain no CCA-treated wood.
MSC supports and encourages wood recycling as an environmentally friendly practice when it is done correctly. However, removal of all CCA-treated wood and other potential contaminants must be a required part of responsible wood recycling.
Certified mulches and soils can be found at major retailers and garden centers across the country. They are identified by the MSC Certification Logo on the package and are listed on the MSC Web site. More about mulch.
AboutJoe Lamp'l
Joe Lamp'l is the Host and Executive Producer of the award winning PBS television series Growing A Greener World. Off camera, Joe dedicates his time to promoting sustainability through his popular books, blog, podcast series, and nationally syndicated newspaper columns. Follow Joe on Twitter
