old carpet - chemical hazard??

hi there, Just wondering if anyone knows if its ok to use old carpets for pathways/suppressing weeds in veg garden?
have heard conflicting views - so want to find out more...
many thanks, Ruth

 

If they're the old-fashioned sort, with hessian backing, Ruth. I don't do it myself, but use it for the top of my compost heap. I don't have a great many old carpets of the right type! :rolleyes:

 

I think the main worry with carpet is whether the materials used in them are imported from third world countries where there is little or no environmental legislative measures in place to govern the type of substances used in their manufacture. Even with polypropylene and nylon the residuals which may find their way into our environment(so long as they were produced here)are there in very low concentrations and are controlled by our legislation which is quite adequate.
Cheers,
John

 

Hessian backed carpets are ideal Ruth, tho' a tad hard to find nowadays. Carol Klein swears by em, as do most allotmenteers- i.e. they're so heavy when wet that they're not likely to go missing.

My grandfather used to grow his spuds through old carpet.