You can compost all cardboard boxes. Worry about picking out packing tape and plastic liners (if any) later.

Thanks. But what about the colored ink on the boxes. Is that okay to be using in garden/veg beds? Or does composting take away that concern?

Julia

That has been debated her ad nauseum. I'm not going to try to address the safety of colored inks, and will instead say that if they make you nervous, don't use them.

There isn't that much colored ink on them to begin with so unless we are talking about adding hundreds of priority boxes to your pile, then yes it will take care of it.

As bp said - it is debated. There is no one answer that all will buy into so it's your choice. Most of us don't worry about it. Those that do worry about it should just not use it.
Dave

Isn't cardboard recyclable?

The question is not whether it is recyclable but whether the dyes used to print logos etc on the boxes is safe to compost and then reuse in your garden.

Julia

juliany, as bpgreen and digdirt here and many others on other threads have pointed out, please, if you have reservation, please don't use them.

There is an old apothegm: "When in doubt, throw it out."

Lt's assume for purposes of discussion that yes, those priority boxes have inks on them that contain some heavy metals (only the manufacturer can tell you for sure). So let's assume that those metals comprise 25% of the total mixture of the ink and the rest is water or some other harmless liquid (most studies show that the metals are less than 1% but we will use 25% for this discussion.

Now the % of the total box that is ink is approximately 10% so 0.025% of each box is possibly toxic using these figures. Let's add 10 boxes to a 3'x3'x3' (27 cu.') compost pile (basic required size) and let it cook away to ready-to-use state and then distribute it over say a 10'x10'x6" garden bed.

Even if one gives absolutely no credit to the composting process's ability to neutralize toxins, how much of these bad inks could you possibly have added to your garden bed? Something in the range of an infintesimal percentage point and less than is already there by nature and which isn't absorbed by your plants anyway.

So, as already said, if it worries you that much simply don't use them. OR better yet - just cut off the colored ink parts and trash them then compost the rest.

Dave

Julia, if you're "worried", "nervous" or "have reservations" or, for that matter, "questions", this is not the forum for you.

I think it's the perfect forum for everyone with worries, etc., as long as they are willing to listen to the answers.

karchita is right that this is a wonderful forum! I have lurked here for 2 months just reading and learning so much. I want to thank you all for the time you take to do this. I am sure many others appreciate it too.

I have found all of the answers informative and polite, or most of them. Some people do not always agree with others but that doesn't make their information wrong or less valuable.

My Ma and Pa always taught me that if you can't say something nice, then don't say anything at all. Maybe we should all practice that more.

I think I may have been partly responsible for the impression that we weren't offering useful advice, and for that I apologize.

I'll expand a bit on my initial post.

There are certain topics that appear here (I can spell here correctly sometimes) that seem to be "hot button" issues for some members. These issues spawn debate but never really come to a conclusion where everybody agrees. I've been insulted for expressing my views on some of the hot button topics, so I try to post something to the effect that there won't be agreement on the topic on the forum, so the person asking should --- (insert appropriate decision depending on the question).

I was somewhat short in my first post and didn't explain things fully.

To summarize for the OP, this question has come up in the past and there are those who consider it completely safe, some who consider it somewhat safe, some who consider it dangerous and some who aren't sure but don't want to take chances.

You won't get everybody to agree and you won't get a definitive answer no matter where you look. Or you'll get a definitive answer, but if you look further, you'll find another answer, equally definitive, stating the exact opposite.

So when I offended annpat by saying that if they make you nervous you shouldn't compost them, this is what I meant. You'll get a lot of conflicting advice and a lot of conflicting facts, and you won't get anything that will tell you with 100% certainty that it's safe and you won't get anything that says with 100% certainty that it's dangerous.

If you don't feel safe in composting the boxes, don't compost them.

bpgreen: Sorry my question made you nauseated.

annpat: To post an answer like that would make one HOPE you had a bad day and this is not your ongoing personality or the extent of your helpfulness on a public forum.

To rest of those who posted, thank you. It did answer my question/concern.

Julia

Really, Julia?

My response was directed at three people who answered your question by telling you that if you had a question about using food packaging---if you were "worried", "nervous", or "have reservations" is how they worded it---then, don't put cardboard in your compost. Period. Was that helpful?

I thought those responses to you were not in the spirit of the forum.

I was defending you.

I didn't see your post bp. Thank you for understanding my point.

I was surprised to see so many responses telling Julia that if she had any questions regarding cereal boxes, there was a simple solution---don't use them.

I was unaware that past extensive research was never conclusive.

According to the USPS...

Here is a link that might be useful: Priority Mail boxes

Ooh, nice link annpat... thanks.

I compost lots of stuff with ink on it... but most of my large cardboard pieces are dropped off at the cardboard recycle bins. I compost the small thin boxes that can fit in my paper shredder.

annpat - I too completely took your comment "this is not the forum for you" to be seriously directed to the OP, not as a sarcastic defense of it - I think sometimes your sarcasm, twisted humor, & unique style loses something in translation between your thoughts/intentions & how it comes across on the computer screen. Fortunately, there are those like bpgreen who know you better, and can clarify things for the OPs and the rest of us. It's something to consider especially when responding to a someone fairly new to composting, i.e. that a newbie risking "looking/feeling stupid" with a newbie question might really fill a "chill" in this forum by an inadvertently overly sarcastic quip.

Thanks bpgreen for the explanation what was going on there.

All the Best, Tree

Tree, I'm rarely sarcastic and I wasn't being the least bit sarcastic in the above response that generated so much ire. I'm frankly surprised that three posters would, essentially, tell Julia that her question had been asked before (ad nauseum) and "we're not interested in discussing it again. If you're scared of using cardboard in your compost, then don't use it."

I'm fond of bpgreen (and he, me, I can tell :^] ), so I might not have said anything if it had been just him, but when two others joined in to tell newcomer Julia that the answer to her question was: If you're afraid to put cardboard in your compost, there's a obvious solution for you---Don't. Now that sounded sarcastic to me, and it also sounded a lot like: Don't bother us with your tired old questions.

Therefore, my post. I thought (and still think) it was obvious that the quote marks I used in my post indicated that I was quoting someone. Truly, I'm the only person who cared how a newcomer was treated.

About a month ago someone got ticked off at a poster who dared to resurrect an old post. No one said anything then, either. I did. I'm sured that endeared me to all of you, too.

It literally took me four seconds to find the answer about the USPS Priority Boxes, by the way. I bet it would have taken me longer to compose a response telling Julia that her question had been asked before.

I think people make choices on how to respond to my posts. I practically got death threats when I very kindly tried to educate posters on the evils of putting bread in the compost. But you know what? As long as Patrick and bpgreen and PJ the second, are fond of me, I'm good. Although, it might be a good time for me to bring up that I once touched Jimi Hendrix. That usually gets me some respect, when all else fails.

Annpat is also nice to bears. Last fall I adopted her one (a very small one.)

All the best,
-Patrick

But you know what? As long as Patrick and bpgreen and PJ the second, are fond of me, I'm good. Although, it might be a good time for me to bring up that I once touched Jimi Hendrix. That usually gets me some respect, when all else fails.

Although I have never officially stated how fond I am of you and your posts annpat, since you have shared that your hands touched Jimi Hendrix moves me to hold back no longer, I canÂt contain myself. Nor have I stated that composting bread should be avoided, we eat all our bread over here. I do hold to the virtue (to the best of my ability) that to each his/her own, I am in no way qualified to judge anotherÂs choices; I need all the breaks I can get as well considering some of the things that come out of my mouth/fingers.

Yes, we did bump heads on one thread, however I took no offense to your postings, even when you did it twice (HA!). Indeed, I now understand to a certain extent. Touched Jimi Hendrix you say? Damn I respond! Seriously (I am about Jimi), I too understand most of your posts and logic, and am proud to be a member of the same community as annpat. I trust our relationship will be closer in the future (I may even let you test some of this dynamite compost to set your standards straight (he said humbly))Â

Blutranes

Blutranes!! That means so much to me. I was hoping I could get by on my charm, and not have to haul out my Jimi card, but I could sense a mob gathering, and decided it was time.

My dear new friend, do you realize that if you sent me some of your "dynamite compost" (a generous amount, not one of those lousy, little gallon baggies), hands that once touched Jimi H would touch the same compost that you once touched?

Perhaps you don't intend to be sarcastic, annpat, I will give you benefit of the doubt. Unfortunately that is exactly how your posts come across to many of us. Why not re-read many of your past posts with an objective eye and see if perhaps you might have said things a bit better?

You don't like the way some of us point out to the question poster that there have been numerous discussions on this issue and that a search - as required by the forum guidelines - will pull up those discussions for them to review.

Before posting a question, please check the FAQ and do a search to make sure it hasn't already been answered.

You don't like the way some of us make reference to the fact that based on those many prior discussions, the issue does not concern most of us. Or that if, in spite of the fact that the issue does not worry most, they do still have concerns, simply avoid using it as it isn't required in any way. That is a polite way of saying, just follow your instincts and use common sense.

You don't like the fact that we suggest they contact the product maker or supplier for a definitive answer. Although I do note that you have posted the exact same recommendation in a thread called "Organic Dilemma".

That's fine. Disagreement is certainly your right. But then why not spend your response time providing useful info, links such as the USPS one, source contacts, research data - all that info you claim we are failing to provide? Why not try that approach instead of using your response to make pithy comments, criticize those that have already posted, and find fault with the form and its members as a whole?

That approach would be far more beneficial to the forum and to all concerned.

Dave

Dave, never once have I objected to anyone suggesting that someone contact a product supplier or product maker. Obviously that is the most sensible response, and the response I would expect, when the answer may vary from product to product. Please don't make outlandish statements and claim they are mine.

And I have never once found fault with this forum. It is you who would benefit from some rereading.

Julia, the boxes with some fading-type ink on them don't worry me. Like this kind: http://www.ocboxes.com/images/products/Small_Box.JPG

The ones that I won't use are the ones with the extremely dense color on slick paper (unless I can peel it off):
http://www.samstoybox.com/toys/LogixComputer.html

Estimated percentages of organic toxins and heavy-metal inks do not make me feel better. That kind of argument can be taken the wrong way by people who have access to 3,000 such boxes, and decide to mulch their entire garden with them. First, how much does it take to cause a problem? Do we really know? Second, once it is in our soil, we could be dealing with repeated uptake by edible plants.

The warning "Better safe than sorry" has been around for many, many years, and with good reason.

Below is a link to info about the printing industry, for anyone who cares to take a look.

Sue

Here is a link that might be useful: Printing Industry Toxins

Treeinnj said:

Fortunately, there are those like bpgreen who know you better, and can clarify things for the OPs and the rest of us. It's something to consider especially when responding to someone fairly new to composting, i.e. that a newbie risking "looking/feeling stupid" with a newbie question might really fill a "chill" in this forum by an inadvertently overly sarcastic quip.

Allow me to say this to newer members. Although I am in no way qualified to speak for the entire forum, IMO no question is disqualified for discussion or should be feared to sound/read as "stupid". A member may speak, what could be considered "sharp" in one thread, and then speak as a rigid defender in another thread. Newer members are encouraged to follow the principles outlined on the forum, however, if a mistake is made, newer members should not feel embarrassed or reluctant to post; after all, as we well know (shiÂI mean compost) happens. Newer members are encouraged to remember that all of us were once "new" to the forum and could have posted "out of bounds", so could anyone else. Again, I am in no way arrogant enough to try to tell anyone how to do anything, I am attempting to encouraging new members to post regardless of any (perceived) mistakes that may/can happen.

Again, speaking for myself, differing opinions within the community are not a reflection on any one poster or any one question, this should be obvious to anyone reading the past posts found on the forum. IMO, everyone is welcome to post anything they choose, just as anyone is welcome to respond in the manner they so choose. No one member is general manager of this forum, or of the universe for that matter; we all have opinions, and some of us choose to blend facts into those opinions. My point is that nothing posted, for the most part is personal, it is the nature of the SC&M community to be who/what it is, a communityÂ

Blutranes

annpat - Have you noticed that your admitted admirers (bpgreen, pj, patrick) all have either a p b or j in their name - possibly a PB&J conspiracy, hmmm...and that's just the ones that have been disclosed, what about the secret admirers that lurk about - y'know the ones that anonymously send you that compost for testing w/the love notes?

Jimi Hendrix, huh? Cool, although, given my tastes and interests, I'd be much more willing to donate half of my compost pile to your compost certification system if it were Jim Henson instead :)

All the Best, Tree

annpat: I get it now.

digdirt:Dave: I did check FAQ's and also tried to do a search. You notice I used "tried". Since I'm on dial-up service and no page accelerator working at the present time, I get what I call the "dreaded white screen" and then the "freeze". Think of dial-up as snail mail but only bulk rate and not first class. Got it? It gets worse when trying to post. So be gentle.....

belgianpup:Sue: Thanks for the info.

Julia

Tree, you forgot Bluetranes.

Sue, I'm impressed. Good job. There's an 800 number on that link.

Julia, I'm glad.

Treeinnj, you have a good theory. PB & J are the three initials of my full name.

All the best,
-Patrick

Boy, I've been busy in the garden and come back here for a breather to find out that I have a title (PJ the second), and treeinnj has discovered my true love of PB&J sandwiches!

You guys are simply amazing...;_)

PJ

I save cardboard boxes and fill them with weeds, when I have weeds, and grass clippings, when I run out of weeds, and throw the whole, stuffed box full, along with the box, into my compost. I care little what ink is used on the boxes, but a lot of that has to do with the cheap stuff I buy. I mean, if I were buying really expensive stuff, then one would think that the ink on the boxes would contain expensive ink, and therefore heavy metals like gold and stuff. But not the stuff I buy. I'm lucky if they spring for any printing at all. Sometimes it's just pencil writing. Maybe crayon.

I think of you (very affectionately) as PJ the two-th, though. Is that okay?

I don't actually allow peanut butter in my house, though. (I suppose I'll hear about that!)

annapat: Please don't take offense, but, to not allow peanut butter in your house sounds Un-American to me. In fact, I think it might be illegal in this country.

I love PB&J

Karen

annpat: PJ the two-th? That doesn't really look or sound like me, maybe PJ the 2nd? I'm open to suggestions...

As for Peanut Butter, unless you or a family member have a peanut allergy, you're treading on thin ground. Peanut Butter is delicious! There's nothing like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich to make a great lunch. For something a little different you can toast the bread and then apply the PB&J- I promise there will be no sogginess at all.

You haven't really lived until you've had a peanut butter & banana sandwich on white bread - cut straight veritical down the middle (none of that fancy triangle stuff).

Peanut butter with honey is actually my preference.

Karen

I can locate, bite open, and finish, a jar of peanut butter in under seven minutes. I once smelled peanut butter coming from my mother's food safe and that took me just under ten---and that included sharpening the hack saw.

Peanut butter and Chipotle/Peach/Ginger Chutney, on toasted whole wheat.

"I may even let you test some of this dynamite compost"

blutranes!

How'd you make compost from dynamite???

How'd you make compost from dynamite???

No no no Silvia, dynamite is a term of endearment. Although some would say my compost makes plants explode with growth, it contains no dynamite. And too, some will offer the taste of the vegetables from my plots react like dynamite, exploding with flavor and juices once bitten. But, keeping with being humble I will only admit it could be considered some pretty good stuff like many others will admit about their compost if askedÂ

Blutranes

OK, then you are human, annapat. I was afraid peanut butter was on the same list as soggy bread. I could eat a whole jar of PB in minutes, too.

Karen

I can gain 5 pounds just catching a whiff of a jar of PB.

We don't have it in the house b/c DH will eat the whole thing, semi-conscious at 3 am, with a fork.

Sometimes I get it, though, use as above, or on graham crackers with *real* butter. I then hide it (usually behind the crock pot), and look for new and unique ways to lose the newly added 15 pounds. :)

And, btw, David, that sounds ooooooooh sooooooo goooood. Where can I get some of that chutney?

All the Best, Tree

Use a food dehydrator and partially dry 10 lbs of ripe peach halves, snip up with scissors into small bits. Peel and chop 2 lbs of fresh ginger. Add 2 lbs raisins, 2 lbs brown sugar, and a qt of unfiltered raw cider vinegar, bring to simmer, stirring 'cause it will stick, and when it starts to smell good, add ground chipotle from Penzey's, to taste - say 4 - 8 oz. Sniff. When it smells really good, pack into hot pint jars and water bath 15 min. Let set at least 8 weeks before trying for the flavors to blend and mellow. Tastes even better the next year.

Here is a link that might be useful: chipotle powder

The real burning question is: Can I compost old peanut butter if it is not attached to bread? ;-)

Whispering this because I don't want her to hear this -- Ann is one of my heroes. I touched her hand once and hugged her. That's even better than Hendrix. Hey Ann, do I get points for saying that?

zee

zee! I was googling (as I do nightly) "annpat and hero" and look what old thread I conjured up!!

Unattached Peanut Butter is fine, dear friend. After all, it's only peanuts and preservatives, what could be wrong with that? Nothing disgusting there.

I wish you'd been in Washington (the second time), because we did a reenactment of the night I touched Jimi Hendrix---with Madmagic doing a darn suckey Hendrix impersonation, I've got to say.

I missed the bread-thread. Why is it so horrible?

Disclosure: I put oils in compost. No sleep has been lost. It does give the rats a nice sheen to their coats, though.......

Well… Jeeze Louise! Julia, I am also in your zone and had the EXACT same question about USPS Priority Mail Boxes. I attempted a quick search, but I kept getting hits on recycling, and, well…duh! i work hard on my compost, as I have the patience of a gnat when it comes to getting all things right/timely/orchestrated when it comes Springtime and the gardening starts!! I have started carefully composting, and because it is such a slow process, i’ll be damned if the USPS screws a whole barrel of compost because of the dyes.

This platform is generally rather helpful, but admittedly, the ”homesteaders gardeners” breed is a weird one.

Id like to thank you for posting such a important question. I decided to use one of the larger boxes in question as the top layer of my bin, and will remove it when adding more to my pile, then replace it to try and keep the heat in/have a carbon top layer. Today, the box was very flimsy…not soggy, but super easy to tear into smaller squares, which is what I did. I hope to remember to come back in many months to give an update! Would love to know if you used those boxes/how it worked.

Just wanted to thank Julia and all who chimed in with helpful info.

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