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  • From: "Kevin Topek" <ktopek@bellsouth.net>
  • To: "permaculture" <permaculture@franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Re: Plastic Contamination
  • Date: Mon, 19 Feb 2001 08:20:50 -0500


Plastic is relatively inert, even in a thermophillically active compost
pile. It tends to break down more by photodegradation in the initial years.
Plastic is more aesthetically displeasing in compost than it is dangerous.
CCA, Copper Chromium Arsenate is used to treat a lot of wood against decay
and can be dangerous to a variety of creatures if treated wood is composted
and used near foodstuffs and water sources. Do you have an indication there
is treated wood in the compost? Most composters will not accept treated wood
as a feedstock, due to the liability. There are many testing laboratories in
the business pages of most phone books, but statistically meaningful tests
can be quite expensive.

Kevin Topek

----- Original Message -----
From: Randy <donahuer@ols.net>
To: permaculture <permaculture@franklin.oit.unc.edu>
Sent: Monday, February 19, 2001 1:36 AM
Subject: Plastic Contamination


> Hello again:
>
> I am using large plastic tubs to transport water. I
am
> not going to store water in them for any period of time. They have been
> rinsed with water inside and out, and allowed to sit exposed to the
> elements. How can I clean them to reduce the amount of plastic/
plasticizer
> contamination in the water? Would baking soda or rubbing alcohol work?
> There is another dillemna with contamination. I had
a
> large order of compost delivered that I found to contain a large amount of
> plastic and (perhaps treated)wood waste. The company that I bought it from
> has been dicking around for quite a while. I am going to post an
> advertisement to give it to anyone who wants it for free, just to get it
off
> my land. . . on the condition that it is not used with edibles. What kind
of
> substances occur when soft and hard plastic are heated within a large
> compost pile? Is there a firm that I can send a sample to? How should I
> rehabilitate the land where it was located/ leaching?
> Also: What substances are commonly used to treat
> lumber, and what kind of diagnostics can be used to detect them in the
soil?
> I would really appreciate any piece of mind you can provide.
>
> Thank you,
> Donahuer@ols.net
>
>
>
>
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