Is your garden hose a chemical nightmare?

It could be, if recent research is right

by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

Tests were, apparently, carried out on garden hoses as to the chemical content of their plastics and while I have only the results of the Swan 50 ft. Fairlawn Light Duty Hose to hand chances are that others would come up in a similar manner.

The results make very worrying reading as to BPA and other chemicals and the amount of them that also not just are in the material itself but which also, in fact, are leached into the water and that, one should guess, despite the fact that the water flow should be at a rate of knots.

This could, in fact, if true, make more than a mockery of “organic” if one would water one's vegetables with such a chemical cocktail in the water, even if all other steps in the growing process would be organic.

Considering here also the fact that tap water contains chlorine and, in some regions – sodium fluoride then it is becoming a very worrying issue.

In days gone by hosepipes were of latex rubber and those, more than likely, had less of such contaminants in them and while then already children were always warned not to drink from the hose this warning definitely should be attached to any garden hose today. In fact, putting a health warning on them would not be a bad idea altogether.

I believe that the more we see as regards to the contents of plastics of all kinds and their ability to leak and leach such dangerous chemicals into our drink and food considering a ban on such plastics might be a good idea.

Knowing the country of manufacture for this particular, and other garden hoses that have tested negatively, would be good but we can but assume that, like so many other things today, it would be the Middle Kingdom, that is to say the People's Republic of China.

Considering the chemical cocktail in such hosepipes it would also be good to know, if it has been done already, if not then it would be good if it be done, what is hiding in plastic and also galvanized watering cans.

We cannot, unfortunately, rely on the water from the sky, as rain, all the time and watering by other means is often necessary for our crops (and other plants) to actually live and grow and produce.

© 2013