Are soaker hoses toxic?

This year I'm growing an even bigger garden than usual, and I'm trying to find some ways to save time and energy with watering it. I already do hugelbeds and thick mulching, but they still need water here regularly. I'm thinking about getting soaker hoses, but am a little weirded out, I have to say, by having plastic in my garden. Thoughts?

possibly. I have seen soaker hoses that were exposed to the sun degrade rather quickly, so that always leads me to believe they are degrading into the soil. I'm not an expert, but if they are falling apart after a few years use, i would assume that degraded plastic is going into the soil. It may depend on quality of soaker hose and exposure to sun/temperatures as to how fast they degrade. I think personally think overhead irrigation gets a bad wrap but for certain situations i think it's better than drip/soaker. It has it's advantages and draw backs just like every other irrigation system. I'm sure it just depends on the level of toxicity you're willing to accept. Some people are ok with plastic rain barrels, others are not. Same with soaker hoses, however if you get a cheap one, it could lead to more toxicity than you are willing to accept. j

I just learned last year that garden hoses are freakin' toxic, and leach all kinds of nasty into water, especially when they get hot, like sitting in the sun for example. Garden hoses are unregulated, and not intended for conveying potable water for human consumption. There are a couple makers of "safer" hoses that aren't made with just any petrochemical rubbers and crap.

Food grade silicone tubing… but that is very expensive and I don't know about UV stability.

If your soil isn't sand: Irrigation channels fed from a pond with gravity or a powerful pump?

there are food grade hoses available
i saw soaker hose which was $100 for 100 or 50 feet forget which

i bought some "boat and RV" food grade
hose for a rain barrel project