Subject: paper mulch is a negative
From: "Susan K. Snow" <sksnow@1stnet.com>
Organization: Pollution Solution
Date: Sun, 17 Aug 1997 22:29:36 -0500
Message-ID: <MOD$970817.26038@rec.gardens.ecosystems>


According to a 1986 publication by the Environmental Research Foundation
entitled What Chemicals Each Industry Uses and based on the state of New
Jersey Right to Know law, there are polychlorinated biphenyls in a wide
variety of printing inks. Whether or not PCBs are in newsprint, I know
not.

I have read, however, from EPA's own documents, that lead and cadmium
are among the toxic metals in pigments. Printing inks are pigments, are
they not.

Another item I learned recently is that PCBs are used in the manufacture
of paper.

I would suggest using leaves, and tree instead.

For what it's worth

Susan Snow