[USCC] Does composting rid of chemicals in manure?

[Gary Bright]

Will:
I had one reply to my question.  That comment stated even though you compost
biosolids or manure a bacteria called "prions" will survive;  even very cold
or very high temperatures.  And as you noted such bacteria will find its way
into the environment via human and animal excretion.  Especially if you have
a slaughter house discharging into a waste water treatment plant.  This
appears to be interesting to me for two reasons.
First, could it be possible that the recent tomato "salmonella" is caused by
surviving bacteria when waste water treatment biosolids and liquid is
applied to farmlands as a fertilizer? And might I say, most of the time,
untreated. Septic tank waste as well?
Second, all this thought leads me to ask the question about composting.  Is
there any difference between 24/7 aerobic composting and anaerobic
composting when it comes to pathogens?.  What significant distinction occurs
between the two?.  
Gary


-----Original Message-----
From: Will Brinton [mailto:wfbr17 at woodsend.org] 
Sent: Wednesday, June 18, 2008 4:32 PM
To: Compost Discussion List
Subject: [USCC] Does composting rid of chemicals in manure?

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" ?
>
>
>   
-- 
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