[Terrapreta] plastic "char" TP

[Kevin Chisholm]

Dear Sean

Sean K. Barry wrote:
> Hi Bernie,
>  
> I think that since plastics are in general made from petroleum, then 
> they will contain both heavy metals (e.g. lead, mercury, arsenic, 
> cadmium) and halogens (e.g. fluorine and chlorine) elements.  These 
> form all sorts of toxins for living things; heavy metals cause 
> disruption of cellular enzymes, poly-vinyl-chlorides and 
> chloro-fluoro-carbons are intense halogen based chemical toxins.
You are starting with a generalization and proceeding to a firm 
conclusion. This is wrong.

Even if the raw material had contaminants, the final product may have 
been refined enough to remove them. You need to know the impurity 
content of the specific plastic product being discussed before making 
conclusions.

Best wishes,

Kevin.
>  
> I am absolutely positive that the Organic Materials Review Institute 
> and organic growers in general would NEVER tolerate using any 
> carbonized materials made from petroleum products to ever be put onto 
> any agricultural land.  Already, these groups protest petroleum-based 
> industrially made fertilizers for the same reasons.  Carbonized 
> plastics would constitute out right poisons to them.  I think I am 
> some what surprised that you would not know this? ... Your 
> organization is called the "Green Waste Recycle Yard".  I do not know 
> this, but I'd bet that OMRI would not even be willing to accept raw or 
> carbonized green yard waste as a soil amendment, if it was not known 
> that these materials were never treated with petroleum-based 
> industrial fertilizers.
>  
> Using any carbonaceous material to make biochar that is used on 
> agricultural land, which is cropped for food production for animals or 
> humans would necessarily require these sources to be strictly plant 
> materials.  Petroleum based plastics would be a big no-no, I would 
> think.  Even non food cropped land does not need to be covered with 
> heavy metals nor halogens, lest water tables below them or ecosystems 
> on them are contaminated.
>  
> Plastics would be better used to make recycled plastic products.
>  
> Regards,
>  
> SKB
>
>     ----- Original Message -----
>     *From:* Green Waste Recycle Yard
>     <mailto:info at GreenWasteRecycleYard.com>
>     *To:* terrapreta at bioenergylists.org
>     <mailto:terrapreta at bioenergylists.org>
>     *Sent:* Wednesday, October 31, 2007 12:28 PM
>     *Subject:* Re: [Terrapreta] plastic "char" TP
>
>     Check out the plastic conversion work of Alka Zadgaonkar:
>     http://www.goodnewsindia.com/index.php/Magazine/story/alkaZ/
>      
>     I'm not sure whether the "coke" product in the article is
>     analogous to the char from biomass pyrolysis.
>      
>     Bernie
>
>     ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>     *From:* terrapreta-bounces at bioenergylists.org
>     <mailto:terrapreta-bounces at bioenergylists.org>
>     [mailto:terrapreta-bounces at bioenergylists.org] *On Behalf Of *jim
>     mason
>     *Sent:* Tuesday, October 30, 2007 6:34 PM
>     *To:* Bernie Lenhoff
>     *Subject:* [Terrapreta] plastic "char" TP
>
>
>     has anyone done any tests as to whether HC only plastics can be
>     reduced to a char with relevant porosity for TP?
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