Subject: FLAMING COMPOST!

From: [email-masked] (Jim Mcnelly)
Date: Wed, 01 Mar 1995 01:19:00 +0600

John Koch writes:
References: <[email-masked]> 

JJ> Fresh grass clippings, if piled higher than a few inches, can
JJ> generate enough heat to start smoldering.  Be particularly careful
JJ> with them. 

Hi John,

Active compost is *supposed* to heat! And yes, the temperature can 
reach 150F or more. The heat is released when mespophilic bacteria 
which live between 40F and 120F break carbon compounds into CO2 and 
heat. Organic matter is self insulating, which means that much of the 
heat is retained. These organisms start to die at 120F, at which point 
less active thermophilic bacteria begin to operate. They too generate 
heat, but not nearly as much as their mesophilic brethren. The 
thermophiles die around 147F.

A hot compost pile can scald a hand, but the cases of "spontaneous 
combustion" where an actual fire is started, are very rare. Typically 
these cases have dry piles over 12 feet high, that also have lots of 
iron such as baling wire or nails. Acids in the decomposing mass react 
with the iron which can cause a spark which can ignite a pile that is 
already over 160F.

As far as the pile at home catching fire, it will only be if someone is 
burning leaves or there is a light from some outside source. The heat 
you are noticing is beneficial, and properly controlled is the basic 
reaction of composting, which degrades organic matter into humus, which 
is nature's perfect plant food.

Mr Compost~~~

Jim~ McNelly
[email-masked]

 * RM 1.3 02460 * Wind: n., atmospheric disturbance caused by trees moving.

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