Is It Safe To Grow Potatoes In Tires? What You Need To Know

Potatoes, one of the world’s essential food sources, are a favorite among gardeners not only for their bountiful yields but also for their exceptional adaptability in different dishes. Over time, I have observed that potatoes have been cultivated in various methods such as in the ground, in raised beds, in containers, and, more recently, within tires. Despite my minimal understanding of tires, I was intrigued enough to explore this method more thoroughly.

Is it safe to grow potatoes in tires? Despite what you may have heard, as an organic gardener, I still believe potatoes are unsafe to grow in tires. Tires contain many chemicals, such as Lead, Benzene, Styrene, and microplastics. As I didn’t know what these were, I researched them further. Here is what I found out!

I know I have said I don’t believe tires are safe to grow potatoes in, but it is not quite as straightforward. So, in this post, I hope to provide you with the evidence I found for you to make a much more informed decision. Then you can decide whether it is safe to grow potatoes in tires.

Is the composition of tires safe to grow potatoes in?

We all know that tires are made of rubber and chemicals but are these chemicals harmful, and can they poison our foods, making them unsafe for consumption? To understand what’s going on, we need to know the composition of the tires. I contacted various manufacturers for their safety Datasheets for their products. I was amazed at what I found.

A typical tire comprises some or all of the following chemicals and products. I researched why these particular chemicals were used in the makeup of the tire to understand why they were there in the first place.

  • Synthetic rubbers and polymers made from petroleum
  • Sulfur is added to vulcanize the rubber
  • Lead compounds are added as a stabilizer
  • Zinc oxide is used as a catalyst
  • Carbon black is added as a filler to make it UV resistant.
  • Microplastic is used to change the hardness of the tire
  • Oil is used to make it more malleable to form

Other stabilizing chemicals used could be bad for growing potatoes in tires.

  • Styrene
  • 1,3-Butadiene
  • Benzene
  • Phthalates
  • Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons
  • Benzopyrenes

I couldn’t even pronounce some of these words above, let alone know if they were safe. But being a firefighter, I was able to first look at the chemical data book that we keep on all frontline fire engines. I learned enough from that that some of these chemicals have bad characteristics.

I knew that as far as firefighting methods, these chemicals were not good and could damage health. However, that didn’t cover whether these chemicals could break into the soil and later be taken into a potato root system.

So, to understand each of these further, I contacted the makers of these chemicals and asked for their Material Safety Data Sheets. These sheets have all the relevant information about each chemical, its makeup, and how it reacts with water and other chemicals.

The damages to health and what it can be used for. This information would allow me to ascertain whether each chemical can safely grow potatoes in the tire. Most but not all of them can cause some of the following issues if there is enough exposure.

When growing potatoes in tires, what issues could arise from the chemicals in those tires?

  • May cause genetic defects.
  • May cause cancer
  • It can cause severe eye damage
  • It may cause skin irritation
  • It may be fatal if swallowed
  • It can cause damage to organs over prolonged use.
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Studies have been performed to show if growing potatoes in tires are safe

Earlier in the post, we mentioned Lead. A UK study found 1160 ppm lead in the soil of a tire dump site. (source). This fact is something to consider because the eventual breakdown and severe degradation of the tires are likely the source of this contamination.

Zinc can be toxic to humans, but in my research, I found that those amounts have to be quite high, and symptoms will retreat by simply discontinuing consumption of the product. This is because people can metabolize zinc.

In a study looking at leachates from ground-up rubber tires, (source) zinc was said to be present in amounts that may be harmful to plants, but the authors concluded that toxicity to humans was unlikely.

We all know tires degrade with age, and the amount of degradation is important in ascertaining how heavy the leeching into your soil will be. This can also be sped up using fertilizers that may react with the tire’s compounds.

Over 300 Tire Brands are produced in the World, and each has its unique makeup, so I can’t cover them all in this blog. But for me, a Tire is a tire. It is packed full of harmful chemicals, and many of them are carcinogens.

If you continue using tires to grow food after reading this blog post, here are a few tips to reduce the likelihood of contaminating your soil.

What can I do to reduce the risks of contamination when growing potatoes in tires?

  • Only use tires for 2-3 years maximum.
  • Slow down its deterioration by storing it away from the weather when not in use.
  • Lift the tire from the soil and place it on a pallet
  • Consider growing flowers or other non-edible plants in tires instead of vegetables.

So, what are your thoughts now after reading this post? Will you be growing in tires again?

More Information

Weather effects on tire degradation when growing potatoes in tires

The weather will also hurt the tire. Causing the tire to crack and degrade as the thawing and freezing process will weaken the compounds, which will help break it down. This will release the microplastics and chemicals into your soil over time. Many of these chemicals and microplastics are water-soluble and can be taken into your plant’s root structure. This is passed on to your body when you consume potatoes.

After all this information, is it safe to grow potatoes in tires?

More than two dozen studies have attempted to measure the potential health risks of growing food in tires. While many have found no negative health effects, some doctors and toxicologists believe these studies are limited and insufficient to establish conclusively that the body does not absorb these chemicals.

Further study is required into the consumption of these chemicals and whether the plants absorb them enough to affect the human body negatively.

Grow In Containers Instead of Tires

I understand the reasons that some folks decide to use tires to grow potatoes. First, they may have rocky ground or poor soil quality. It may be to raise the growing area so gardeners with back pain can reach it.

There is a much safer and more economical way to grow potatoes. Why not try growing potatoes in containers? This will give you all the same benefits you thought you would get from tires without the chemicals. If you want to know more about this way of growing potatoes, see how I doubled my harvest in a small space. Check out this blog post. Or even the video below.

Double Your Potato Harvests

Conclusion

I have tried to be as thorough and non-biased as possible with this article. You now have all the facts I found about whether it is safe to grow potatoes in tires. With this information, you can now make a more informed decision as to whether the risk is acceptable to you and your family.

I strive to be organic in my garden and grow my own food to control what my family is eating, to be healthier and safer than I would be from buying vegetables I have no control over. You wouldn’t see me pouring roundup or glyphosate on my garden, so why would I use tires? However, I appreciate that not everyone is the same as me and has no issues using chemicals.

As the studies have not proved or disproved it is harmful to human beings, I plan to aid on the side of caution. I don’t plan on my children becoming a statistic with these harmful ingredients. After all, years ago, they said smoking was safe. Now millions of people are very ill or dead because of it. Why risk it?

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Remember, folks, You Reap What You Sow!

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