In the world of DIY landscaping, an unconventional trend is gaining traction: tire retaining walls.
In a Reddit post, one homeowner expressed concern about their soil eroding into the neighbor's fence. They were considering the budget-friendly option of repurposing used tires instead of a traditional brick structure, which could cost around $10,000 to $20,000.
"Let's talk tire retaining walls. Who's done it?" they wrote in the r/landscaping subreddit. "I came across a few used tire retaining wall ideas and it might be a viable option for my needs."
A tire retaining wall can be built similarly to a brick wall by stacking the tires in an alternating pattern, and holes are filled with compacted dirt. Not only can this method be cost-effective, but it can also help combat the tire waste problem.
At the end of their lives, tires account for almost 2% of total global waste and are a major source of pollution. They are hard to recycle, so two-thirds of the billions of end-of-life tires land in illegal dumps or landfills.
While building a tire retaining wall would repurpose these tires, it could also pose problems.
As one commenter pointed out: "Building would be easy enough indeed, but I do wonder about the environmental and health aspect of having old tires decaying in the sun on your plot."
When the sun hits the tires, the UV radiation can break the chemical bonds of the plastic within the tires. This can cause the release of something called microplastics, which are harmful to both humans and the environment.
These particles can contaminate soil and waterways, affecting plant life and entering our food chain. As plastics degrade, they release harmful chemicals that were used in their production, which can disrupt ecosystems and potentially harm human health.
An alternative solution would be to use natural landscaping techniques. Natural landscaping often involves using native plants that are well-adapted to the local climate and soil conditions. These plants typically have deep and extensive root systems that can help hold the soil in place, reducing erosion.
One commenter suggested planting a hedge: "Eventually their root structure will fill in and hold up some of the dirt. … I personally wouldn't be happy about dropping that much $ and not gaining much usable or pretty space."
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