[USCC] Recalled Pet Food

[frank]

Composters,

I just caution you that dog food is a highly available carbon source 
with all the right nutrients to get it going. I have used it in my 
respiration and BAC studies.  So I suggest using small amounts mixed in 
with a lot of woody materials, if you use it at all.  It should kick 
start a compost pile while using a lot of oxygen.

Frank


Donald Lewis wrote:

>Participate in the Annual International Compost Awareness Week May  
>6, 2007 to May 12, 2007
>
>This year's theme is "The Possibilities are Endless ... Compost!"
>
>For more info, go to: http://compostingcouncil.org/section.cfm?id=25
>
>Or Call the USCC at 631-737-4931
>The FDA has not confirmed the presence of rodenticide, so it is probably
>reasonable to assume that rodenticide is not an issue. The chemical that
>is associated with all of the animal deaths is melamine, an ingredient
>used to make melamine plastic. The plastic is not an issue - we all have
>used melamine plastic dinnerware for at least 50 years. The monomer,
>melamine is another story. It has been isolated in all the suspect feed
>that has been analyzed, and crystals have been found in the kidneys of
>mortalities. For the moment, I have seen no studies on the degradation
>products of this chemical. I would strongly urge caution until the
>scientific community has been able to investigate. It would be tragic to
>find that a composter had made a wonderful material only to find that it
>is a hazardous waste.
>
>Don Lewis
>Compost Coordinator
>Maryland Department of Agriculture
>  
>

-- 
Frank Shields
Soil Control Lab
42 Hangar way
Watsonville, CA  95076
(831) 724-5422 tel
(831) 724-3188 fax
frank at compostlab.com
www.compostlab.com