Most of us with ponds and other water features utilize them as a place to support life of all shapes and forms and that’s why it’s ever so important that all materials used are non-toxic.
There are a wide range of different materials used when producing a pond and any one of them can trigger issues with life in the pond at a later stage. Many of the materials used when creating a pond are also common in the construction industry; however, you should ensure they are non-toxic and suitable for use when constructing a pond – some aren’t.
For instance most epoxies are toxic and are unsuitable for constructing a pond. An appropriate epoxy should line and seal the area but create no risk to the wildlife and form a water resistant barrier that is both non-toxic and looks great.
VOCs
Volatile organic compounds can cause a lot of problems and exist in most epoxies. These toxic VOCs are known to cause cancers and are considered to be carcinogenic in humans and animals – far from ideal in your pond. In many cases VOCs are released for years afterwards and have long term effects rather than sudden ones. This is one of the main reasons you need a non-toxic epoxy.
Smoothness
The adding of epoxies to pools or ponds often involves sanding for smoothness and these results in dust which can be quite dangerous to breathe in or ingest. Of course, it is advisable you to cover your mouth and nose, when performing such a task. If you do need safety equipment they are often best at hire for one off jobs.
Non-toxic epoxies however do not have any such issues and generally contain no volatile organic compounds. A lack of harmful chemicals is something that non-toxic epoxies should adhere to.
Bio-Content
Many green epoxies are actually made from bio content and so often take a substantial amount less energy and effort to produce. Without the need for as many chemicals, these epoxies are greener to manufacture and don’t cause green issues in production like traditional toxic epoxies generally do. This means lower CO2 emissions and an overall greener stance.
Even though these non-toxic epoxies are green, they still provide the same level of quality you would expect. Non-toxic epoxy offers a high quality seal for ponds. Non-toxic epoxies are an essential for your pond, while pose no harm to your water quality.
Cormac Reynolds writes for Best at Hire a UK company that provides a hire service of tools and other items online.
