Please help! My community garden just banned the use of corrugated cardboard in garden plots, claiming that it contains formaldehyde! I used corrugated cardboard boxes to begin my no-dig raised bed garden, so I am trying to find the truth to this claim (I have asked them and they have given me no links yet). I have searched the internet through and through and have found no information that says that corrugated cardboard contains formaldehyde (I have found information that paperboard and boxboard, which cereal boxes and such are made of, does contain it.) Ok, so my issue is this: the person who sent this email gave no reference to the source of the claim, no discussion as to the validity of the claim, no nothing, but all I can find is support and praise for cardboard in the garden! I am a Board Member of my community garden (a non-profit organization) and am also an organic gardener and grower (I started a mini-nursery along with a large garden operation this year for farmer's markets and such as a profession). So this is of particular interest to me, since the claim came from no-where (they discussed it at the board meeting last night apparently, but I missed it because I had a farmer's market to attend)... with no reference or links or any proof, and I have been searching all day for the proof but cannot find it (so am I just not "In the Know" or are they ignorant to the different types of cardboard?)... Any help?!
Well, without doing the cardboard research myself, I'd say not to get your panties in a twist if the board won't change their opinion.
There's nothing wrong with subbing thick layers of newspaper instead. And they certainly can't have anything to say about newspaper since it's now all printed (glossy color inserts excluded) with soy ink.
Posts: 774 | Location: Culpeper, VA - Zone 6/7 | Registered: June 18, 2008
yeah, we use newspaper in our garden where we grow produce for the farmer's markets. My main concern was that they did not give any reference/source, and also, that they specifically sited my garden plot because I used cardboard... We just had cardboard on hand, no newspaper, when we were preparing the garden, so that's what we used... anyway, it's worth knowing the truth I think because so many organic gardening sites/techniques include cardboard for preparing the initial site and it works really well to build soil, etc...
Well, unfortunately I do believe that some cardboard manufacturers do use formaldehyde - whether that's plain or colored cardboard I don't know. I've only used the plain once in one garden area - I prefer newspaper.
I think you're going to have to research that yourself, & good luck. It appears that who uses formaldehyde & who doesn't depends on who manufactured the box (I believe the formaldehyde is sometimes in the glue). And unless you can prove who exactly manufactured the cardboard you're using, you probably don't have much of a leg to stand on.
Posts: 774 | Location: Culpeper, VA - Zone 6/7 | Registered: June 18, 2008
right, I found that information about cardboard used in cereal boxes and such, but that is different kinds of cardboard (paperboard and boxboard) than corrugated cardboard. I found it at this link:
Looking around it would seem that their are many products that use formaldehyde and we are in proximity to these products every day. http://www.naturalnews.com/023202.html
There very likely is formaldehyde used in the glue of all layered cardboard.
However, as far as using it in a garden, I think your fellow board members need to lighten up. Exposure to any toxic fumes would be associated with enclosed spaces. I hardly see it as an issue in the great outdoors. The amount of fumes that might be released are minimal at best. In a garden they would be almost non existent.
Personally I would ask for their proof before I removed any cardboard from my patch.
Posts: 5 | Location: Canada | Registered: May 08, 2008
