Author: Engela Duvenage
Published: 21/05/2021
For the sake of the soil in which your plants must grow and thrive, think twice before deciding to re-use laundry greywater in your garden. If you really want to use it as part of your greywater system, at least then chose liquid washing detergent over washing powder, as it still degrades the soil, but not as much. That is the message from soil scientists at Stellenbosch University, who published the first ever comprehensive research on the topic in the
Journal of Hydrology.
The study was led by Dr Ailsa Hardie of the Department of Soil Science in the Faculty of AgriSciences at Stellenbosch University. It is based on the MSc work of one of the co-authors, Ms Ncumisa Madubela, who in January 2020 received an award for the best junior research paper presented at the annual congress of the Soil Science Society of South Africa. Ms Madubela graduated in March 2020. Dr Cathy Clarke and Mr Vink Lategan, also of the SU Department of Soil
Laundry greywater from powdered detergents very harmful for the garden
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Laundry greywater is destroying your soil, warns expert
23 April 2021 8:32 AM
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Soil scientists from Stellenbosch University have conducted a study suggesting that irrigating your garden with laundry greywater is a bad idea.
A new study led by Dr. Ailsa Hardie has found that reusing laundry greywater in your garden is detrimental to the soil in which your plants grow and thrive.
The study looked at the impact of powered and liquid detergent greywater on soil degradation.
It found that laundry greywater containing powdered detergent was significantly more harmful to soils that laundry greywater containing liquid detergent.
According to Dr. Hardie, powdered detergent greywater makes soil harder, drier, and decreases its porosity over time, which makes it harder for the soil to absorb water when it may need it most.
Why irrigating your garden with laundry greywater is a bad idea
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For the sake of the soil in which your plants must grow and thrive, think twice before deciding to re-use laundry greywater in your garden.
If you really want to use it as part of your greywater system, at least then chose liquid washing detergent over washing powder, as it still degrades the soil, but not as much. That is the message from soil scientists at Stellenbosch University, who published the first ever comprehensive research on the topic in the Journal of Hydrology.
The study was led by Dr Ailsa Hardie of the Department of Soil Science in the Faculty of AgriSciences at Stellenbosch University. It is based on the MSc work of one of the co-authors, Ms Ncumisa Madubela, who in January 2020 received an award for the best junior research paper presented at the annual congress of the Soil Science Society of South Africa. Ms Madubela graduated in March 2020. Dr Cathy Clarke and Mr Vink Lategan,
This “stripping effect” causes clay particles in the soil to disperse, blocks soil pores and in turn causes a crust to form on the surface that seals the soil.
“It becomes difficult for water to soak into soils and increases run-off when it rains or when you water your garden. In essence you are then actually wasting water, because in time very little water gets to penetrate into the soil to reach plant roots,” said Hardie.
The blocking of soil pores also decreases the water holding capacity of soils. In times of drought this makes soils even drier. Soils become increasingly saline (brackish) and alkaline.
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