Dyed mulch
Wood chip mulch coloured red, brown or black, often made from recycled wood such as pallets.
Dyed mulch is wood chip mulch coloured with a dye, commonly red, brown or black, to look uniform in landscaping. Recycled wood, including ground pallets, is a common source because it is dry and takes colour evenly.
The colour tells you nothing about what went into the grinder. The question to ask a supplier is whether painted, treated and contaminated wood is kept out before grinding and whether nails are removed by magnet.
EPA's estimate of wood pallet recycling names mulch first among the uses of chipped pallets. See pallet mulch for what makes it safe and how it's counted.
If you buy mulch for a site where children or animals spend time, ask the supplier for its source wood policy in writing. Suppliers who take pallets directly from distribution centres will usually be able to tell you what they accept and what they reject.
Sources
- Containers and Packaging: Product-Specific Data (wood packaging, 1960–2018) U.S. EPA. Accessed October 27, 2026. Page last updated October 19, 2026; latest data year 2018.