[compost_tea] Composited? Tests.

From: Kirk Leonard <kirk_at_oregonatural.com>
Date: Tue, 12 Aug 2003 13:47:54 -0700

Doc, please help me here. Composited? What does that mean? Either
composited or composted might fit where you said composited. What is
composited? Do you mean taking sub-samples over time? Or do you mean
standard poke-all-around-the-piles sampling at one time? (Both then
blended,
sample taken.)

I learned about another disastrous compost event this past month, and
industrial contamination of composts is on my mind. A lot of "compost"
needs a lot more testing, imo (Solvita test is not sufficient). One of
the ironies of compost today is that a lot of makers won't test for content
because they don't want to know what's in it... even more ironic when you
think about the scrutiny being put on CT.

> Message: 1
> Date: Sun, 10 Aug 2003 09:18:45 EDT
> From: soilfoodweb_at_aol.com
> Subject: Re: Re: NOP regulations
>
> Can't really talk about what the task force has or has not done.
> I offered my own opinion about what is needed on the
> recommendations, but remains to be
> seen what will be put into the final recommendation.
>
> The Compost Tea Task Force is focusing just on tea, the regs
> for testing compost in the NOP are on the NOP website.
> I can't recall off the top of my head
> just what the requirements are for running samples, but it strikes me
> sub-samples have to be taken, but then composited, so sampling
> is actully from more than one sample per 10,000 cubic yards.
>
> Elaine

Compost samples may be more than one per 10,000 cubic yards? Two? That's a
large amount of material. More frequent tests seem better, and not
expensive on a volume test contract. A lot of nasty industrial chem and
bio-wastes can get disposed without discovery in between every 5-10 thousand
yards. 10,000 yards is a thousand big dump trucks or trailers of material.
A 2000 square foot house is about 600 cubic yards, so one sample per 16
"housefuls," or per 1000 trucks doesn't seem enough, given how much toxic
stuff can be present in a few yards.

There are no regs for testing compost in USNOP that I know, just USEPA 503
standards for making it (both too prescriptive, one not trustworthy, imo, at
least for tea...). There are pathogen tests specified for processed manure
materials, thank goodness, but I think there's more to be tested there, same
for industrial wastes in urban composts. I believe most compost test regs
are state level, some local, in very few states... don't know about any EPA
compost test regs. Don't trust US Compost Council, either.

How is it CT may need to be tested so much when so much sold compost is
untested? If there's a problem in compost tea, it's likely the problem is
in the compost, not in the tea-making, eh? Will USDA ever comprehend this?
Their emphasis on "raw manure" tells me they get something of it... very few
people (and no other animals?) do not intuitively get that there's danger in
raw feces. Nose tests really do work well. (...can't resist... And USDA
definitely stinks on this! They deserve the raw manure of their
obsessions.)

In any event, Doc, what do you mean by "composited?"

And what about that live organism stain? One bacterial, one fungal? Could
these be hydrogen tests? Low-med-high marks seem useful.*

-- Kirk L

*If I know I need a fung tea and a simple test shows low or no fungi, I know
I have a bact tea for other use and need to do another batch, tweak,
etc... two states, three outcomes each, max six possibilities, probably more
like two or three things to do, practically. Good enough for jazz or
bluegrass oughta be good enough for CT... hmm?

Testing compost every 10,000 yards is not sufficient or valid. Please don't
let some federal yoyo suggest that.

Aagh-ugh, being a political animal, I have to recall a quote from Molly
Ivins this past Sunday: "Fascism should more properly be called
'corporatism' since it is the marriage of government and corporate power."
Mussolini said that. IMNOTHO, USDA is acting it out. (In My NOT Humble
Opinion... I'm still mad as hell about NOP trash.)



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Received on Tue Aug 12 2003 - 20:56:51 EDT

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