Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

permaculture - Re: Plastic Contamination

permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: permaculture

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: "len organicpc" <gardenlen@hotmail.com>
  • To: permaculture@franklin.oit.unc.edu
  • Subject: Re: Plastic Contamination
  • Date: Tue, 20 Feb 2001 08:44:15 +1000





From: donahuer@ols.net (Randy )
Reply-To: "permaculture" <permaculture@franklin.oit.unc.edu>
To: "permaculture" <permaculture@franklin.oit.unc.edu>
Subject: Plastic Contamination
Date: Mon, 19 Feb 2001 01:36:13 -0500 (EST)

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?

you don't say what you are using the water for, from the little i know about plastic/poly products i wouldn't use anything but food grade poly/plastic containers for drinking water. my rule of thumb is if it smells plasticy and taints the water use the water on the garden etc.,.

also from what i uderstand cheaper plastic containers leech phyto-eostrogens (please excuse the spelling me dictionary's packed away).

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?

plastics in compost are probably low risk but will take ages to break down and with no benefits that i could imagine, just the treated timber would be a concern to me there are 2 schools of thought with this but for me i err on the side of caution if there is no real need to use it, in light of better alternatives being available.

at best you could use it around the non-edible gardens maybe, at least then you maybe aren't passing the problem on to someone with less knowledge.

Also: What substances are commonly used to treat
lumber, and what kind of diagnostics can be used to detect them in the >soil?

as i know it they use copper sulphate and arsenic, and any testing would need to be done in a laboritory could cost a bit.

hope some of the above helps

len

I would really appreciate any piece of mind you can provide.

Thank you,
Donahuer@ols.net




---
You are currently subscribed to permaculture as: gardenlen@hotmail.com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-permaculture@franklin.oit.unc.edu
Get the list FAQ at: http://www.ibiblio.org/ecolandtech/documents/permaculture.faq

_________________________________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com.





Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page