Comments on: Composting Great for Small Gardens, Too http://countrylife.lehmans.com/2009/06/04/composting-sm-gardens/ Your online simplicity village Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:07:56 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: C.Simpson http://countrylife.lehmans.com/2009/06/04/composting-sm-gardens/comment-page-1/#comment-1057 C.Simpson Fri, 05 Jun 2009 18:58:34 +0000 http://countrylife.lehmans.com/?p=2393#comment-1057 I think composting is great, but I do not compost junk mail or glossy publications. I am not an expert on this and I'd welcome hearing from someone who is. That said, it is clear that some printers' inks include heavy metals that are quite toxic. This is part of the reason why old printing plants are sometimes named as serious enviro hazards by the EPA. (The other is that _really_ old printing plants used cast lead for type.) Does anyone know of reliable studies concerning heavy metal residues from composted magazines, newspapers, telephone directories or similar sources? Thank you. I think composting is great, but I do not compost junk mail or glossy publications. I am not an expert on this and I’d welcome hearing from someone who is.

That said, it is clear that some printers’ inks include heavy metals that are quite toxic. This is part of the reason why old printing plants are sometimes named as serious enviro hazards by the EPA. (The other is that _really_ old printing plants used cast lead for type.)

Does anyone know of reliable studies concerning heavy metal residues from composted magazines, newspapers, telephone directories or similar sources?

Thank you.

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