Hey everybody,
I don't know how much or how thoroughly this has been discussed but I have noticed alot of people coming up with all kinds of stories explaining the death of their plants in grow tents. I don't know much about this, as a matter of fact, I just heard about it a little while ago. But it seems obvious to me that a PVC grow tent is a rediculous idea and could only be made in china.
I was shopping around for a tent a couple weeks back when I noticed that they were lined with PVC. As soon as I knew that there was no way something like that would be holding my plants. I don't even buy PVC for normal uses much less around stuff I am planning on consuming.
I will try to make this short, but I will provide some links for more information.
So I don't come off too preachy or opinionated I will be cut and pasting alot of this.
This is an abstract from an article that I would of had to pay for to get the whole thing.
The use of controlled environments is subject to problems from contaminants emitted from materials of the system and from plants. Many contaminants are difficult to identify because injurious dosages are very low, there is a lack of information on what compounds injure plants, because species and cultivars differ greatly in their sensitivity to injury and injury symptoms often are not distinctive. Plastics have been shown to emit many different volatile compounds. The compound, di-butyl phthalate, contained in certain flexible plastics, has been shown to be very toxic to plants. Other injuries have been produced by caulking compounds and bonded screening. Paints have been shown to release xylene that is toxic to plants. Steam for humidification can cause problems because of hydroxylamines and other compounds added to steam used for heating to control fungal growth in return lines. Mercury, from broken thermometers is a particular problem in growth chambers because small quantities can collect in cracks and slowly volatilize to slow growth of plants. Plants themselves release large quantities of volatile hydrocarbons, with ethylene being the commonly recognized chemical that can be damaging when allowed to accumulate. People release large quantities of carbon dioxide which can cause variations in the rate of growth of plants. Contaminant problems can be controlled through filtering of the air or ventilation with make-up air, however the potential for problems is always present and careful testing should be undertaken with the particular species and cultivars being grown to insure that there are no toxic agents altering growth in each particular controlled environment being utilized.
Here is some info from Greenpeace.
Greenpeace:
A recent study concluded that a child's risk of bronchial obstruction was related to the presence of PVC flooring in their home or nursery. The researchers concluded that phthalate plasticisers in the flooring could be responsible. PVC floors release the phthalates DEHP and BBP when washed. Such releases, depends among other things, on the frequency of washing (estimated at 1-5 tonnes per year in Denmark, for example). Smaller quantities may be emitted into air and consequently cause obnoxious smells . The technical life of vinyl floors and wall coverings is at least 15 years, but their full life is not always used. Softeners, primarily the phthalate DEHP, can make up approximately 20 - 25 percent of vinyl floors, and between 10 - 30 percent of wall coverings.
PVC is thermally unstable and cannot be used in products without stabilisers, which can include lead. Dust containing lead can been released as they degrade in sunlight. Lead can affect the nervous system and the reproductive system in low doses. Lead in PVC miniblinds was found to pose a significant risk to young children in Canada. Approximately nine percent of the childhood lead poisoning cases in North Carolina are attributed to this PVC product.
Alternatives: Natural materials such as wood, bamboo and metal are all suitable alternatives to PVC.
Greenhouses and coldframes - Corrugated PVC sheeting is often used as a cheaper alternative to glass for greenhouses and coldframes.
The phthalate DBP is a component in PVC glazing strips in glasshouses. Some work completed by the Institute of Horticultural research in Wellesbourne, UK, has shown that as little as 200 picogrammes DBP per litre of air can kill plants.
They argue that a variety of glasshouse plants have been damaged on a worldwide basis since the 1930s. Greenhouse glass and safety glass, when needed, is the best alternative, although this is more expensive.
I don't know how much or how thoroughly this has been discussed but I have noticed alot of people coming up with all kinds of stories explaining the death of their plants in grow tents. I don't know much about this, as a matter of fact, I just heard about it a little while ago. But it seems obvious to me that a PVC grow tent is a rediculous idea and could only be made in china.
I was shopping around for a tent a couple weeks back when I noticed that they were lined with PVC. As soon as I knew that there was no way something like that would be holding my plants. I don't even buy PVC for normal uses much less around stuff I am planning on consuming.
I will try to make this short, but I will provide some links for more information.
So I don't come off too preachy or opinionated I will be cut and pasting alot of this.
This is an abstract from an article that I would of had to pay for to get the whole thing.
The use of controlled environments is subject to problems from contaminants emitted from materials of the system and from plants. Many contaminants are difficult to identify because injurious dosages are very low, there is a lack of information on what compounds injure plants, because species and cultivars differ greatly in their sensitivity to injury and injury symptoms often are not distinctive. Plastics have been shown to emit many different volatile compounds. The compound, di-butyl phthalate, contained in certain flexible plastics, has been shown to be very toxic to plants. Other injuries have been produced by caulking compounds and bonded screening. Paints have been shown to release xylene that is toxic to plants. Steam for humidification can cause problems because of hydroxylamines and other compounds added to steam used for heating to control fungal growth in return lines. Mercury, from broken thermometers is a particular problem in growth chambers because small quantities can collect in cracks and slowly volatilize to slow growth of plants. Plants themselves release large quantities of volatile hydrocarbons, with ethylene being the commonly recognized chemical that can be damaging when allowed to accumulate. People release large quantities of carbon dioxide which can cause variations in the rate of growth of plants. Contaminant problems can be controlled through filtering of the air or ventilation with make-up air, however the potential for problems is always present and careful testing should be undertaken with the particular species and cultivars being grown to insure that there are no toxic agents altering growth in each particular controlled environment being utilized.
Here is some info from Greenpeace.
Greenpeace:
A recent study concluded that a child's risk of bronchial obstruction was related to the presence of PVC flooring in their home or nursery. The researchers concluded that phthalate plasticisers in the flooring could be responsible. PVC floors release the phthalates DEHP and BBP when washed. Such releases, depends among other things, on the frequency of washing (estimated at 1-5 tonnes per year in Denmark, for example). Smaller quantities may be emitted into air and consequently cause obnoxious smells . The technical life of vinyl floors and wall coverings is at least 15 years, but their full life is not always used. Softeners, primarily the phthalate DEHP, can make up approximately 20 - 25 percent of vinyl floors, and between 10 - 30 percent of wall coverings.
PVC is thermally unstable and cannot be used in products without stabilisers, which can include lead. Dust containing lead can been released as they degrade in sunlight. Lead can affect the nervous system and the reproductive system in low doses. Lead in PVC miniblinds was found to pose a significant risk to young children in Canada. Approximately nine percent of the childhood lead poisoning cases in North Carolina are attributed to this PVC product.
Alternatives: Natural materials such as wood, bamboo and metal are all suitable alternatives to PVC.
Greenhouses and coldframes - Corrugated PVC sheeting is often used as a cheaper alternative to glass for greenhouses and coldframes.
The phthalate DBP is a component in PVC glazing strips in glasshouses. Some work completed by the Institute of Horticultural research in Wellesbourne, UK, has shown that as little as 200 picogrammes DBP per litre of air can kill plants.
They argue that a variety of glasshouse plants have been damaged on a worldwide basis since the 1930s. Greenhouse glass and safety glass, when needed, is the best alternative, although this is more expensive.
