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Ok, so I'm setting up an array of water butts to make the best use of a shed roof. They smell of plastic and so does the water after a while.Should I be worried, what chemicals am I watering my food with, does anyone know ?

Hi

Ive just set up 3 waterbutts my dad gave me. They were large containers which apparently were used for flavourings in cordials but when I popped my head in them one smelled a little like turps or something very chemically at any rate. Anyway i left the lids off, let the rain catch them and emptied that out then steam cleaned them with a high pressure hot steam cleaner. This seems to have done the trick as the smell has gone and my water is clear and so far.... my plants havent died from the water!!

Regards
MEW

colhut wrote:Should I be worried, what chemicals am I watering my food with, does anyone know ?

Well, I don't suppose water butts are passed as being suitable for storing potable (drinking quality) water in them, but consider that if you water your plants with a hosepipe it is probably plastic, as are a great many watering cans. And the water that comes from your roof may well have travelled via plastic gutters and downpipes (to say nothing of what it may have picked up from the roof itself, or the air as it fell to earth).

The water that comes out of your taps has almost certainly come at least part of the way to your house in plastic pipes, and any cold water storage tanks in your attic may be plastic. Come to think of it, even mineral water usually comes in plastic bottles.

Hmm... Haven't really answered your question, have I?

The plastic in water butts does smell odd, don't know why ( god why did I get the degree in Chemistry and Polymer Science) I suspect it's cos they use a portion of reclaimed PE , which does smell a bit off, so they put a perfume in to counter act.They may also put an anti fungalcide ,in don't know.

As to leaching of chemicals I would not be too worried they are likely to be pretty harmless if non existent, and the manufacturers will know that the butt could be used for crops.And will be bound to stringent EU laws.

HOWEVER, you must always wash your crops prior to eating since the water contained in the butts is likely to be a haven to all sorts of bacterial soups, which happen noramally when you get water off the roof plus heat on the side of the container.