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Saw a balcony in Portland using old rain gutters for lettuce, but I'm worried about plastic leaching.
After seeing that setup, I'm torn between the genius upcycle and the risk of chemicals getting into my food, so what's the verdict on using old plastic for edibles?
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mila_craig412d ago
Read this article about microplastics in garden soil last week... it kind of freaked me out. They said old plastic breaks down into tiny bits, especially when it's in the sun and weather. Those bits get into your dirt and water. So even if the lettuce isn't touching it, the roots might be sucking up bad stuff. I'd be too nervous to eat anything from it, honestly. Cool idea, but maybe not worth the risk.
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the_parker25d ago
Hot take: Probably fine, but why risk it?
That Portland gutter garden is a cool idea, honestly. The main worry with old plastic is stuff like BPA or phthalates, which can get into soil and water. If the gutters are really weathered and cracked, that risk goes up. For leafy greens that don't touch the plastic much, it's less of a big deal than for, say, tomatoes. But you can find cheap food grade buckets or use untreated wood and just skip the worry.
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