Log in

View Full Version : Is playsand bad for bananas


shnphan
06-03-2009, 06:11 PM
Ive used it with many plantings. Recently heard it contains herbicide and pesticide. Anyone ?

Patty in Wisc
06-03-2009, 06:23 PM
I just read that on a different thread - that playsand has pesticides & herbicides in it but I don't believe it. I also asked if anyone could find this out. I mean m'gosh, it's meant for children to play in & we mix it in our soil for growing!!!

Michael_Andrew
06-03-2009, 06:35 PM
I would be totally freaked out to think any chemicals would be in play sand. I think the confusion is that sand contains silica that has been linked to lung cancer. Those working in dusty sand conditions like sand blasters have come down with cancer do to breathing the silica. In the not too distant past I worked as a property manager for a daycare chain and they really watch that stuff carefully. I think your and your bananas are safe.

Michael

Patty in Wisc
06-03-2009, 06:53 PM
It was Richard that said that in the other thread & I'd like to know why.
I have a bag of playsand in my basement & just went to read the bag. It says:
*safe
*clean
*fun
& it shows a pic of a sandbox. Michael is right about silica sand. Masons use that to mix for morter.

Gecko
06-04-2009, 11:01 PM
I use sand in some of my work.

Play sand is washed, dried and screened to get a uniform grain size then packaged.

Mason sand is unwashed, and has larger screens so you get more variation in grain size (some times even small pebbles).

Some suppliers may "sanitize" play sand either chemically or with steam, the most common chemical as I understand the process is Chlorine Bleach (3-6% solution with soak time of ~ 1 min) Chlorine is highly reactive and acts as a good general sanitizer.

Bleach - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chlorine_bleach) has info on domestic and environmental actions. More in depth info is in the links on the page.

(I know Wikipedia is not an authority but it is a nice short cut to more direct links...sometimes)

I have some pool test strips and tested 10grams of playsand in 100ml of distilled water and 10 grams of mason sand in 100ml of distilled water.
The samples were agitated then let settle, the liquid was tested.
There was no trace of chlorine in my samples. Alkalinity was in the range of 120 ppm.

Hope that helps

Gecko

modenacart
06-05-2009, 11:43 AM
I use it all the time to mix with compost from my yard. I haven't had problems with it.