On 9/30/2015 12:35 PM, Boron Elgar wrote:

I have always hesitated to use community composts, as many
homeowners allow their grass clippings to be collected and the
insecticide, weed killers and broad herbicides that they use wind
up in there.

Most residential pesticides have fairly short half-lives, generally in
terms of days or weeks, so the typical insecticides and herbicides
applied by homeowners will break down during the composting process.
The more common problem with community compost is the amount of trash
within it, as so many people neglect to remove wire twist ties, plant
markers, etc. when cleaning out their gardens. Communities where
property owners rake their leaves into the gutters for city vacuum
machines to collect and dump also end up with larger bits of trash
sucked up with the leaves, such as can and bottles.

On the bright side, it is still better than no compost at all.

On Mon, 05 Oct 2015 15:56:59 -0500, Moe DeLoughan
wrote:

On 9/30/2015 12:35 PM, Boron Elgar wrote:

I have always hesitated to use community composts, as many
homeowners allow their grass clippings to be collected and the
insecticide, weed killers and broad herbicides that they use wind
up in there.

Most residential pesticides have fairly short half-lives, generally in
terms of days or weeks, so the typical insecticides and herbicides
applied by homeowners will break down during the composting process.
The more common problem with community compost is the amount of trash
within it, as so many people neglect to remove wire twist ties, plant
markers, etc. when cleaning out their gardens. Communities where
property owners rake their leaves into the gutters for city vacuum
machines to collect and dump also end up with larger bits of trash
sucked up with the leaves, such as can and bottles.

On the bright side, it is still better than no compost at all.

A lot of what is mentioned below is only supposed to be used in
commercial settings, but I that doesn't stop stupid or ignorant home
owners from using chems that are not safe and do not break down
easily.

And yes, there is lots of trash in there, too.

https://extension.umd.edu/learn/gard...ost-and-manure

http://www.motherjones.com/environme...s-your-compost

http://smallfarms.oregonstate.edu/sfn/f09Herbicide

I have a small garden and have no problem making enough compost for
it. I do not consider myself any sort of organic freak or woo-woo
gardener and I have certainly used stronger chems at times, but in my
case, I know what they are, how to use them, exactly where in the
garden I have used them and I know what can and cannot go near the
compost.

It isn't loony chemical aversion that stops me from using community
compost, it is dummies.

When it comes to the chemical side of bananas it is what chemicals were
used, sprayed or otherwise introduced that are long term toxic and
illegal in many countries.

A small banana farmer may not be too concerned about safety over
quantity. It may mean the difference between thriving and surviving.