Could you use plastic mesh instead? The link below shows it at a 2-foot width with 1/2" x 1/4" diamond shaped perforations, which might work for your fence. For a passive compost bin, you'd need something deeper of course.

Here is a link that might be useful: Plastic Mesh

That health warning is there because the Zinc that is the material that makes galvanized wire can be a heatlh hazard if it gets into your soil in large quantities or you ingest a large quantity of it.
What I have found over the years if that just the galvanized fabric, sometimes, fails at the welds fairly quickly. I've had that fencing, sometimes, fail in one year, while the vinyl coated lasts much longer and I have some here that is 20 years old and still together, although that is showing signs of wear.

For what it's worth, by hardware cloth looks like the day I bought it except that it is slightly bent up in places at the top edge of my bins. I have been using them for about 4 years now.

Steve

The neighbor has vinyl chain link fence. The vinyl is degraded, begun to crack, and fall off. This doesn't square with Kimmsr's experience, so maybe it is related to quality or manufacturer.

I have 1/2"^2 mesh hardware cloth that has been in use for at least ten years if not longer. It doesn't look brand new, but is still strong and serviceable. Though, I live in a dry climate.

Terran

Many stores have vitamins with zinc in the OTC section. Zinc is often in conjunction with vitamin E.

Zinc in runoff water may immobilize a 'water flea' which rainbow trout fry feed on so zinc in water in some states is a concern. When I was doing a term paper on zinc in water, in undergraduate school, most medical textbooks stated there was, back then, no know harmful affects from too much zinc.

metal rusts. both the zinc galvanization and the vinyl coating are there to help inhibit and slow down that action. but it is a temporary fix...

there are problems with both systems...
1) Zinc galvanization does rust and break down... it is a white powdering coating (zinc oxide).
2) the vinyl coating can crack, tear and rip... so that water can enter be trapped - rusting the steel wire from the inside.

water, salts and acids can all help the rusting process along... ALL of which are present in a good healthy garden and compost pile.

In welding we avoid zinc galvanization, because of the dangerous off gas that is created, but even that requires long term exposure and high quantities...
do a topic search of: "zinc oxide poisoning"

Vinyl arguably leaches potentially dangerous chemicals over time...
do a topic search of: "vinyl leaching"

sorry... too much information?