[USCC] does composting remove chemicals, etc?

Wed Jun 25 11:21:44 CDT 2008

Dear USCC:

I believe some perspective is needed following some of the comments that
have come from the original question about destruction of antibiotics
during composting.

It is clear that many antibiotics are readily biodegraded during either
anaerobic digestion or composting of manure and biosolids. But not all
are so rapidly biodegraded. Just as with herbicides and pesticides; some
are easily biodegraded and others not. The unexpected residue of the
herbicide clopyralid discovered several years ago required changes in
registration so that it would not be used for home weed control and then
contaminate home composts or yard-debris composts that are increasingly
important to North American cities.

Mr. McGowan reminded us of some of this, but then over-stated the
reality of pathogen destruction by composting. Yes, there may be some
antibiotic resistant microbes in livestock and human wastes, but these
are human pathogens that are readily killed by the temperatures required
for effective composting. Of course, not all composting is conducted to
comply with the 503 requirements, but increasingly that has become the
management goal for the composting industry which needs to show they
have killed animal and plant pathogens by the combination of temperature
and time.

I wanted to remind us all again that toxic chemicals are present in all
the plants we eat. Bruce Ames (of Ames test fame) has evaluated toxicity
and mutagenicity of chemicals in foods and found that 99.98% of all
pesticicds that are present in foods are the natural pesticides made in
plants to prevent microbial infection or reduce insect feeding on the
plant in nature. Residues of synthetic pesticides are miniscule in
comparison. I note this information because some who communicate here
seem to think that only industrial chemicals are dangerous. These
natural chemicals include some which are complex enough that
biodegradation is slower than for more metabolic compounds in plants.

And others have made a big deal about possible residues of antibiotics
from personal care products in biosolids and biosolids composts. They
seem to forget that the highest exposure of humans to these chemicals is
to the materials in the products as they use them in their homes. And
the selection of antibiotic resistant microbes is much greater in the
home where such materials are used than due to the low concentrations
present in biosolids or manure. Similarly for other chemicals in
personal care products.

Just hoping to help us find a balanced perspective on these issues that
fairly considers the value of composting and of compost products.

Regards,

Rufus Chaney
Beltsville, MD

-----Original Message-----
From: compost-bounces at mailman.cloudnet.com
[mailto:compost-bounces at mailman.cloudnet.com] On Behalf Of PJ Binder
Sent: Tuesday, June 24, 2008 9:53 PM
To: 'Compost Discussion List'
Subject: Re: [USCC] does composting remove chemicals, etc?

Ok I see your point 
But with bio solids how do we know what is in it to start with and what
it
ends up turning into?

PJ Binder Landscaping
po box 454
Broomall, PA 19008
pj.binder at verizon.net

-----Original Message-----
From: compost-bounces at mailman.cloudnet.com
[mailto:compost-bounces at mailman.cloudnet.com] On Behalf Of john cossham
Sent: Monday, June 23, 2008 2:14 PM
To: Compost Discussion List
Subject: Re: [USCC] does composting remove chemicals, etc?

I may be accused of being pedantic, but EVERYTHING is made of
'chemicals' 
and therefore this thread is a bit meaningless to a chemist.  Some
chemicals

are changed into others during composting, ie ammonia may be split into 
nitrogen and combine with O2 to make water vapour... and long-chain 
carbohydrates are degraded into sugars and fermented into carbon dioxide
etc

etc, so when talking about 'chemicals' can you be more specific please?
Thanks!
John 'the composter' Cossham, York, UK

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Lynda Brushett" <brushett at metrocast.net>
To: <compost at mailman.cloudnet.com>
Sent: Friday, June 20, 2008 8:10 PM
Subject: [USCC] does composting remove chemicals, etc?

> 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
>
>
>
>
> 

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_______________________________________
Join us at the US Composting Council's 17th Annual Conference & Trade
Show
January 26-29th, 2009 at the Westin Galleria in Houston, TX.
The National forum for those involved in the development and expansion
of the composting and organics recycling industry.
Conference Highlights, Registration forms, Exhibitor information and
Sponsorship Opportunities available at the USCC website:
www.compostingcouncil.org or call the USCC at 631.737.4931 
________________________________________________________________________
______
Compost maillist - compost at mailman.cloudnet.com
http://mailman.cloudnet.com/mailman/listinfo/compost
_______________________________________
This list is a service provided by the US Composting Council (USCC).
(c) Copyright 2004 United States Composting Council - All rights
reserved

Opinions expressed do not necessarily represent the USCC, the
Foundation, or the Board of Directors.

Non-members of USCC are encouraged to join the Council through its
website at: http://www.compostingcouncil.org/membership.cfm

Members posting CC copies to the list and other addresses may have their
posting privileges suspended. For discussion list policies and
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options, go to: http://mailman.cloudnet.com/mailman/listinfo/compost

For additional help in unsubcribing or to report bugs and problems, send
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