Should My Toxic Garden Hose Be Replaced?

There is no safe limit for lead ingestion - it can be harmful at any concentration. So why is it that garden hoses contain lead? None of the nasty chemicals found in hoses are necessary, and the good news is that the industry and retailers are moving toward cleaner, non-toxic varieties. 

But as usual, it is buyer beware, because our system encourages producers to cut corners and maximize profits, even at the expense of the health of you, your family, and our planetary life support system.

Hoses can also be a dangerous soup of other unwanted ingredients that have been shown, in some situations, to leach into the water passing through them. 

Water sampled from hoses after they were left in the sun for two days contained  levels of BPA, phthalates, and lead, all above standard approved drinking water limits. 

Most cheaper hoses are made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which uses lead as a stabilizer. The fittings are often made of brass, which can contain as much as 8% lead. 

Lead has been shown to build up in the body from even low levels of exposure, and causes all kinds of trouble once there.

But wait! There's more. 


Some cheap hoses contain chemicals associated with e-waste, none of which you want on your vegetables, or on your grass where your kids and pets play.

Information I have read on the topic ranges from alarmist - "kill your toxic hose now", to a more complacent attitude of "don't worry about it, there are far more poisonous things to worry about". Hardly reassuring. 

What is a gardener to do? 

The best case scenario would see all hoses containing toxic ingredients being replaced with alternatives that are drink-safe. Natural rubber is recommended, as well as plastic hoses that are rated "drink-safe". 

These hoses have fittings plated in nickel, which is lead-free, meaning cleaner water for your veggies.

For now, I will keep my two cheap hoses which are only 3 years old and still in good shape. However, I will also follow a few rules to minimize the risk of spraying chemicals all over my vegetable garden.

1. Always wrap up hoses after use, and store inside in a cool, dark place. Or store in an outside location shaded from direct sunlight. 
2. If the hose has been in the sun for a while, run the water for a minute before watering your garden. 
3. Never drink from a non-drink water safe hose.  
4. Take action - let manufacturers and retailers know that you will NOT tolerate dangerous chemicals in your garden hoses. 

None of the toxic chemicals are necessary in any hose, and they only benefit the seller's bottom line. That is why they are in hoses in the first place. I guess they don't care that their consumer goods are poisoning us and the planet. What a system.

Eventually, when my current hose is at the end of its life, I will pay more and buy a new safer hose for my vegetable garden. Polyurethane and other non-vinyl hoses, like rubber, are much less likely to contain chemicals of concern.

Always check the label when buying a new hose. If it does not list the material, it is most likely of the toxic variety.

But what should you do with your old cheap potentially toxic hose, either right away, or when it reaches the end of its life? From what I have found out, they should probably be delivered to a toxic waste disposal site along with your old paint and spent batteries. 

 “We now know vinyl garden hoses may leach toxic phthalates and BPA into water. 

It’s time for retailers like Home Depot and Wal-Mart to safeguard our children’s health and phase out the use of these poison plastic vinyl hoses.” 

- Mike Schade, Center for Health, Environment & Justice