Subject: HELP: Composter from chemical barrel. Danger?

From: [email-masked] (Michael Tavares)
Date: 6 Apr 1995 13:49:07 GMT

I made a composter using a 30 gal plastic barrel I got from a friend.
The barrel was labeled:

NON-PHOSPHATE DESTAINER
sodium hypoclorate
sodium hydroxide
water
Do Not Reuse for food storage

Is it save to compost in this and use the resulting compost for
gardening?

Also:  I just did some landscapeing and put a bunch of evergreen ground
cover material into the composter.  A friend said I should add lime to
counteract the evergreens acidity.  Any other suggestions.  Is this
accurate?

Please reply by email as I don't frequent this newsgroup.

TIA

=MikeT
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From: [email-masked] (William )
Date: 07 Apr 1995 09:36:33 GMT

sodium hypoclorate

    bleach.  (probably sodium hypochlorITE?)

	sodium hydroxide

    Lye.

    Is it save to compost in this and use the resulting compost for gardening?

Since bleach is used in gardening (to sterilize pruners, usually), and lye
is fairly innocuous aside from being a caustic base (likely to be quickly
neutralized by acid-producing decaying plant matter, eh?)  I wouldn't worry
much at all about the resulting compost.  Personally, I'd even "reuse for
food storage" after a thorough washing, but I have the ex-chemsity buff's
disdain for modern anti-chemical paranoia...

BillW

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From: [email-masked] (William )
Date: 07 Apr 1995 09:36:33 GMT

sodium hypoclorate

	sodium hydroxide

    Lye.

BillW

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From: [email-masked] (William )
Date: 07 Apr 1995 09:36:33 GMT

sodium hypoclorate

	sodium hydroxide

    Lye.

BillW