A homeowner was rightfully livid after discovering a dangerous mistake that hindered their attempt to improve their yard.
They shared a Reddit post in the r/mildlyinfuriating forum with the caption: "Had a load of topsoil delivered and it's riddled with shredded plastic." The photo showed massive plastic fragments pulled from the topsoil.
Unsurprisingly, other users supported the homeowner in their gripe. Suggestions included taking action against the seller, as this type of situation is common among swindling contractors.
"Assuming you're a homeowner, I'd demand a refund," one commenter wrote. "Stick to your guns and don't let up. Some of the job sites I've been on would have accepted that for scrap dirt but for quality topsoil that's crap. Definitely not soil you'd want to garden with as it may have contamination from whatever job site it came from."
Unfortunately, the homeowner is not the first to face the issue of unexpectedly discovering hazardous materials, and they won't be the last.
In a similar situation, a homeowner was left furious after finding out that a subcontractor was filling their yard with topsoil containing large pieces of broken glass, rusty metal, ceramic pieces, and old beer caps. To make matters worse, the homeowner revealed the dangerous materials were found in "an area where my [five-year-old] and friends play and run around in bare feet."
To avoid similar situations, it's worth considering alternatives to topsoil. For example, installing a native plant lawn — which typically benefits from sandy loam rather than topsoil — is an option that would be cheaper than a traditional grass lawn and require less maintenance. Native plants also benefit the environment, as they attract pollinators that play a key role in keeping the ecosystem healthy.
One commenter illustrated how dangerous unchecked soil could be, writing: "Contractor brought in topsoil that was loaded with weed seeds. Years later I'm still picking out the weeds from my lawn. So, could be worse."
Another commenter said that the egregious contamination of the soil was "[definitely] refund/chargeback level."
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