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compostteas - Re: [Compostteas] Re: Safety and E coli

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Subject: Compost Teas: 24 hour, EM, IM, BD & fermented plant extracts

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  • From: wpb AT sympatico.ca
  • To: "William F. Brinton" <wbrinton AT woodsend.org>
  • Cc: compostteas AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Compostteas] Re: Safety and E coli
  • Date: Wed, 12 Jun 2002 06:35:26 -0700

Thanks for the info, I won't be spraying without the supplied-air helmet again. In fact I experienced eye irritation just entering the field after it had been sprayed. I am impressed with the results so far but will treat CT just like any of the other pesticides I've used.

William F. Brinton wrote:
3D0E307D.22A087D1 AT woodsend.org"> It is inaccurate to state that if compost tea is "aerobic" then there is no
risk of E. coli or other potential pathogens for that matter. Once you have
added sugars and molasses, etc. etc. the tea "regresses" to a condition of
like fresh manure/compost, with high BOD. This by the way is one reason for the new exclusion
by the USDA-National Organic Program of such "re-fermented" products.
E. coli is facultative and therefore can grow under any condition especially
aerobic when lots of available sugars are present.  The best precaution is to only
use proven matured composts that have gone thought a proper and long
process but are not so done as to contain little microbial activity. Do not add any
readily available sugars etc unless research has documented that this is required for
the particular host-infection situation.

An acquaintance of mine recently got a severe eye infection from spraying compost
tea and what the doctors wanted to know was: where did you get so much bacteria at
once in the eye? Please be careful and especially watch the "myth of aerobic" that has
been propagated in the country.

Dr. William Brinton
Woods End Laboratory
 
 

   1. Safety (wpb AT sympatico.ca)
   2. Re: Safety (Frank Teuton)
   4. Re: Safety (Scott Alexander)
   5. Re: Safety (wpb AT sympatico.ca)
   6. Re: Safety (wpb AT sympatico.ca)
 




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