What’s in your Garden Hose? You may be surprised to know!
I received a message via Facebook asking:
It is the perfect time of year for this question and you may be surprised to know that many water hose are very toxic!
That being said, there are many good garden hoses on the market that are lead free and phthalates free, as for BPA free, stick to natural rubber or 100% FDA & NSF Grade Virgin Polyurethane Materials
First let me give you a little info to use when buying any gardening products.
The Ecology Center in Ann Arbor, MI tested 179 kinds of garden products, including garden hoses, tools, gloves and kneeling pads. They found 70% of the products contained levels of “high concern” of one or more toxic substances… including lead, cadmium and mercury.
From the report:
- 30% of all products contained over 100 ppm lead in one or more component. 100 ppm is the Consumer Product Safety Commission Standard (CPSC) for lead in children’ products.
- 100% of the garden hoses sampled for phthalates contained four phthalate plasticizers which are currently banned in children’s products.
- Two water hoses contained the flame retardant 2,3,4,5-tetrabromo-bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (TBPH).
So you can see that there are reasons for concern.
Avoid hose with this label
Read the labels: Avoid hoses with a California Prop 65 warning that says “this product contains a chemical known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects and other reproductive harm.”
Buy hoses that are “drinking water safe” and “lead-free.”
Search on-line “polyurethane garden hose” or “rubber garden hose” for options.
I found a couple a good options.
1. Water rights has an assortment of garden hoses that meet these specs and they are made in America so you are also supporting local jobs
2. A less expensive lead free, drink safe hose is the Green & Grow from Element
You can find many others just remember to read labels and ask questions.
Here is a link to more information and some more lead free garden hoses.
As for nozzles and spray attachments, I have not been able to find any that are BPA and Lead-Free. If anyone has a link or an answer to that puzzle please share with us.
Pushita and everyone else, I hope this helps!
Enjoy a chemical free garden and yard.
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Category: Ask the Go Green Guy
About the Author (Author Profile)
Creator/Host of Go Green America TV
Jeff (Jf) Davis aka The Go Green Guy is from Maine
Moved to LA to follow his passion as an actor
these days he is still acting, lives in LA with his wife and two boys
an writes about Green Living for his website Go Green America TV
that will soon be a TV show!!
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Jeff, what a terrific topic! Thank you for bringing this usually overlooked source of toxins to folks’ attention.
Every little bit of useable information helps!
Happy Summer,
Alisa Rose
Thank you Alisa
It is crazy how many of these little things we do not know about, I am constantly learning and eager to share
Thank you again for your comment and Happy, Healthy summer to you!
Jeff