Re: The Weekly Dirt, for 31 March '98
- To: perennials@mallorn.com
- Subject: Re: The Weekly Dirt, for 31 March '98
- From: "* M* P* <c*@mail.utexas.edu>
- Date: Wed, 01 Apr 1998 15:19:17 -0600
At 05:08 AM 3/31/98 -0800, you wrote:
>
>
>> ----------
>> From: Mitch Whitten[SMTP:MWhitten@bsipublishing.com]
>> Sent: Monday, March 30, 1998 2:56 PM
>> To: GCM01
>> Subject: The Weekly Dirt, for 31 March '98
>>
>> The Weekly Dirt, for 31 March '98
>> An e-mail newsletter
>> from Garden Center magazine editor Mitch Whitten
>>
>>
>>
>> * Ironite, the soil amendment marketed as an alternative to chemically
>> produced fertilizers, has been found to contain "elevated levels" of
>> lead and arsenic, according to a front page story this week in The
>> Dallas Morning News. But scientists disagree about how long it would
>> take before toxic levels would occur in the soil. According to the
>> most
>> critical researcher, using 2 lbs. of Ironite a year for every 100 sq.
>> ft., working it 6 inches into the soil, would produce toxic lead
>> levels
>> in 584 years but toxic arsenic levels in just 28.
There is a big difference in toxic levels and levels that can don't kill
but can harm adults, children and unborn fetuses. Lead can accumulate in
the body so exposure to a little bit over time can lead to lead poisoning.
Lead poisoning in children can lead to impaired learning skills among other
things. Arsenic is a confirmed human carcinogen and a teratogen, which
means it can cause cancer and cause birth defects in unborn children.
Although this is not directly related to perennials, neither was the
original letter. Just thought I would let everyone else know the
seriousness of this metal as a contamination in fertilizer.
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