Expert exposes overlooked risks of common landscaping method: 'I would never put that around my home'

Many feel rubber mulch is a lousy choice for landscaping. An East Los Angeles landscaping contractor agrees: "I prefer real mulch because it decomposes into the ground, adding nutrients to the soil."

"It's super squishy, which is kind of cool if you have a playground," the TikToker conceded. Unfortunately, that's just about its only redeeming value. As the foundation for a playground, rubber mulch isn't the healthiest choice either. 

@sarabendrick To mulch or not to mulch ... with rubber. Covering the ground with mulch can give it a clean look but also help regulate soil temperature and conserve water in the soil. It can also help suppress weeds if thick enough. @casatiktok Plants naturally 'mulch' themselves like these oak tree are doing by dropping leaves. There are many ways to tend to theses areas depending on what your needs and goal are. What would you do ? #mulch #Organic #RubberMulch #WhatWouldYouDo ♬ Apple bitten jeans beach boys 1964 - done4dayz

The Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission consider it an "acceptable risk," avoiding the incentive for outright banning it. Regardless, the long-term risk and levels of exposure aren't worth it, especially for kids who visit the playground often or adults who spend extensive time in a garden full of the stuff. 

Rubber mulch is made from recycled tires, contains heavy metals, leaches chemicals into the soil, and releases volatile organic compounds. As a garden mulch, it suffers from aesthetic fading, lacks efficient moisture control, and doesn't provide nutrients for anything. 

Rubber mulching takes effort to place, maintain, and remove, especially the latter. If you're looking for a simpler, more laid-back, and eco-friendly method, combining xeriscaping efforts with a natural lawn is far superior. 

It takes some effort upfront, but the long-term low-maintenance needs and overall stability are more than worth the endeavor. The original poster doesn't allude to this in the above video, but other TikTok clips from the same account discuss a California native "no-grow" lawn blend.

Like all native plants, it's easier to manage than bringing in something synthetic or maintaining non-native plants that haven't properly adapted. Adding xeriscaping to the mix emphasizes low-water usage as well. 

With that being said, the local environment plays a role in the best type of mulch to go with, as well as your personal goals. For example, wood chips and bark are excellent for water retention and soil enrichment as they break down. 

Regardless, rubber mulch just doesn't fit environmentally friendly and personal health standards. Fortunately, more and more people are arriving at the same conclusion. 

Responding comments echo the sentiment: "Rubber mulch has 400 different chemicals. I would never put that around my home or eat garden food from a yard that had it within an acre of their garden."

Do you think the government should ban gas-powered lawn tools? No way 🙅 Definitely 💯 Only certain tools 🤔 I don't know 🤷 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Plus, it's not the aesthetic "wonder fix" it's often made out to be. Someone said: "The rubber color still fades and needs to be replaced anyway. Stick with real mulch!"

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