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What is Recycled Mulch?

Jacob Queen
Jacob Queen

Mulch is a term used to describe anything that covers bare flowerbeds or other areas where raw soil would be undesirable. Most natural mulch is made of things like wood bark or straw, but recycled mulch is made of various waste products such as thrown-away plastic or sheets of paper. The most popular kind of recycled mulch is made from rubber tires, and it actually has many advantages over some natural mulches, especially for certain applications.

The basic purpose of mulch is to cover an area and keep weeds from growing. It also helps keep the soil from drying out. Some mulches have the added advantage of slowly decomposing into the ground and adding nutrients to the soil. Most recycled mulch products aren’t useful in this way, but paper products do have some potential to increase soil fertility.

Stacks of tires waiting to be recycled into mulch.
Stacks of tires waiting to be recycled into mulch.

Recycled mulch made from tires is very popular partly because of its effectiveness as a mulch and partly because old tires are considered a very serious environmental problem. They take up a lot of space in landfills, and they last for a very long time without decomposing. In general, people tend to recycle rubber products whenever they can, and recycled mulch made from tires has reportedly made a significant environmental impact.

Old newspapers can be used as mulch in a garden.
Old newspapers can be used as mulch in a garden.

Tire mulch typically has many advantages over traditional mulch materials. The rubber can be dyed into different colors and cut in a way that makes it look almost identical to wood mulch—unlike wood mulch, it lasts for several years. It’s also soft to the touch, and it can provide a cushioned surface for playgrounds or other areas where children might play. Tire mulch also doesn’t attract termites and other wood-eating insects, which makes it particularly good for certain applications. For example, people may prefer to use tire mulch near their homes because it can avoid attracting wood parasites that may eventually harm their houses in some way.

Old tires are considered a serious environmental problem, which is why recycling them into mulch is a popular idea.
Old tires are considered a serious environmental problem, which is why recycling them into mulch is a popular idea.

Newspaper mulch is also generally very common because people can recycle their own newspapers to make it at home. Some people will actually save old newspapers specifically for this purpose and use them in the growing season. Paper mulch doesn’t generally last as long as some other kinds of recycled mulch, but for some people, that is a secondary concern. It is fairly common for newspaper mulch to be combined with some other kind of mulch. In these situations, the newspaper will often be used for its weed growth prevention abilities, and then coated with another type of mulch for cosmetic purposes.

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    • Stacks of tires waiting to be recycled into mulch.
      By: Joost J. Bakker
      Stacks of tires waiting to be recycled into mulch.
    • Old newspapers can be used as mulch in a garden.
      By: JRB
      Old newspapers can be used as mulch in a garden.
    • Old tires are considered a serious environmental problem, which is why recycling them into mulch is a popular idea.
      By: AustralianDream
      Old tires are considered a serious environmental problem, which is why recycling them into mulch is a popular idea.
    • Mulch is typically spread around flowerbeds and shrubbery beds.
      By: Wendy Kaveney
      Mulch is typically spread around flowerbeds and shrubbery beds.