Is if safe to grow food in regular 5-gallon buckets (Not food grade buckets)? - Ask Extension
I recently saw a post on a facebook site where the question came up if it was harmful to grow food in a 5 gallon plastic bucket from Lowe's, which is ...
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Is if safe to grow food in regular 5-gallon buckets (Not food grade buckets)? #820205
Asked February 12, 2023, 3:24 AM EST
I recently saw a post on a facebook site where the question came up if it was harmful to grow food in a 5 gallon plastic bucket from Lowe's, which is not marked "food grade". Lots of laymen gave their opinion, but I can't get the question out of my head. If I grow food in a bucket, does it have to be food grade? I would not think so since black plastic potting buckets aren't food grade, and lots of things are grown in those......am I overthinking this?
Clackamas County Oregon
Expert Response
This is a complex question with very few good (unambiguous) answers. There is a lot of variation with the reason in the use of the various plastics in containers. Complicating the issue is whether the plastic compounds are available to roots in the soil (i.e. can it be picked up at least into root tissue), how much they move to other parts of the plant if they are picked up through the roots, how long they last in the soil, and what concentration in vegetables or other grown in containers is a problem. The best discussion I have found is from a guy in Canada that writes blogs on a variety of topics. Here is his take on the subject: https://www.gardenmyths.com/growing-food-plastic-containers-safe/ . Based on my past questions on the topic, probably "food grade" is safest for food gardening, though they probably have never been tested with soil interactions. My modest understanding is that soil tends to shorten, by a lot, the life of those plastics that aren't "the forever" type. And lots of people have used nursery black pots for years with no reports of problems. Standard 5-gal buckets from the hardware stores aren't terribly sun-stable. But not sure what the decay curve means to plants growing in them in soil media.All t hat said, I am going to email your question to a person on campus in Food Tech Department and see what she says. When I here from her (and it could take some time) I will reopen the question and give you her answer.
Chip Bubl OSU Extension/Columbia County <personal data hidden> <personal data hidden>
Chip Bubl OSU Extension/Columbia County <personal data hidden> <personal data hidden>