[USCC] does composting remove chemicals, etc?

[Lynda Brushett]

Gary and others, If the manure goes through a digester, I understand  
chemicals and pathogen are destroyed in the process,  meaning that  
solids separated from the effluent are free of pathogens and  
chemicals and in turn produce a clean compost.   Is this not the  
case?  Lynda

On Jun 20, 2008, at 1:00 PM, compost-request at mailman.cloudnet.com wrote:
> Today's Topics:
>
>    1. Does composting rid of chemicals in manure? (Will Brinton)
>
> From: Will Brinton <wfbr17 at woodsend.org>
> Date: June 18, 2008 4:32:13 PM EDT
> To: Compost Discussion List <compost at mailman.cloudnet.com>
> Subject: [USCC] Does composting rid of chemicals in manure?
> Reply-To: Compost Discussion List <compost at mailman.cloudnet.com>
>
>
> Gary-
>
> did anyone reply to your concern?
>
> I just reviewed a research paper from the Institute of Hygiene and  
> Public Health, Bonn, Germany. It concludes that many antibiotics in  
> manure do survive in soil (after manure application) for up to 90  
> days, and are therefore "relatively stable". It is now well known    
> that these could be uptaked by plants, and passed along the food  
> chain. Others are reported to have degraded rapidly. Composting  
> should be assumed to be similar to soil and possibly better  
> (i.e.composting is not necessarily faster in biodegradation).
>
> Interestingly, in the EU  annually about 15,000 tons of antibiotics  
> are administered to humans and animals, the non-metabolized  
> fraction of which will find its way via excretion into the  
> environment (mostly biosolids and released wastewater, and of  
> course manures). I am sure the quantities used are probably higher  
> in the USA for animals, and I am not sure for humans. Your concern  
> should be pursued until more information on composting is obtained.  
> See also the early forerunner paper (before use of antibiotics got  
> really intense):
>
> Vogtman, H.; W. Obrist, K. Hauser, H. P. P f i r t e r a n d F.  
> Augstburger, 1978. Compost Science/Land Utilization. "Cornposting  
> and Plant Growth: Use o f c h i c k e n  M a n u r e  c o n t a i n  
> i n g  a n t i b i o t i c s "
> Will Brinton
>
> Gary Bright wrote:
>> Today I was asked this question from a watch-dog agency in Michigan;
>> "How do you treat the 168 chemicals in the manure and the growth  
>> hormones
>> and antibiotics" ?
>>
>>
>>
> -- 
> Woods End Laboratories
> - Bioenergy &  Biocompost Testing -
> Mt Vernon ME 04352
> www.woodsend.org
>
>
>
>

Lynda Brushett, Ph. D.
Cooperative Development Institute
603-664-5838
www.cdi.coop