On 10/01/2014 10:00, Bob Hobden wrote:
"'Mike'" wrote

The auditorium in the Theatre .....
http://www.myalbum.co.uk/Album=KOB47VPH .... is being sanded back to
bare wood and treated. The wood has had all sorts of polishes and
varnishes over the years, some of which would no doubt be poisonous.
If the dust is spread and mixed in with new material going onto the
compost heap, would the action of composting 'kill' the poisons?


I do hope the people doing that work are wearing proper face masks (not
those cheap things) and protective clothing including covering shoes so
they don't take the dust home with them. Personally I would not take any
chances where my lungs are concerned.
As it's an old place it may well have been painted with lead paint
originally so, no, composting won't improve the toxic nature of the dust.
--
Regards.
Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK


Only a problem with paint. Old varnish and polish is likely to be
organic in origin, shellac and vegetable based resins the most likely.
Why risk it though?