Bill, Are you sure it is styrofoam and not vermiculite? They are similar in appearance at the macroscopic level.
David David M Bryant Ph D University of New Hampshire Environmental Education Program Durham, NH 03824 [EMAIL PROTECTED] 978-356-1928 On Jan 23, 2006, at 4:57 PM, RESEARCH Hilton Pond wrote: > > I've just discarded (i.e., placed in a compost pile) several > Poinsettias left over from the holidays. All these came from > different sources, but all had small (1/8 to 1/4/ inch) pellets of > Styrofoam mixed in with the soil. > > These Styrofoam additives are a pretty common practice at > commercial nurseries. I always assumed it was to aerate the soil so > it didn't get too soggy. > > Wonder how this practice got started at nurseries and what it would > take to get them to stop? > > Happy Nature Watching! > > BILL > > =========== > >> Warren, >> >> I've read this thread with some consternation as a soil >> scientist. I know this may sound like recycling of styrofoam but >> it's really putting xenobiotics (highly recalcitrant synthetics) >> into the soil. I'm not really sure if it would meet your other >> goal either. While quantitatively decreasing soil bulk density, >> as does soil organic matter (SOM) I doubt that it provides any of >> the other benefits of SOM. Styrofoam is a closed cell material, >> so even with a high surface area (internally and externally) I >> doubt that soil solution or nutrients can interact with these >> surfaces to provide cation/anion exchange or enhance soil aeration >> as the cells are generally filled with a synthetic gas (previously >> these were CFCs). >> >> Also, there is increasing evidence that plastics release synthetic >> compounds, the effects of some are known others unknown. >> Moreover, organic chemistry of the SOM and plastics degradation >> are not well understood. >> >> If you have any data or literature on these questions I would be >> very interested. In lieu of any evidence of benefits/hazards I >> would strongly advise against the practice. >> >> David >> >> David M Bryant Ph D >> University of New Hampshire >> Environmental Education Program >> Durham, NH 03824 >> >> [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> 978-356-1928 >> >> >> >> On Jan 23, 2006, at 2:44 PM, Warren W. Aney wrote: >> >>> I hope to solve two problems: >>> --recycling of styrofoam >>> --improving the texture of of high clay content soils >>> >>> Warren Aney >>> (503)246-8613 >>> >>> -----Original Message----- >>> From: Wayne Tyson [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] >>> Sent: Sunday, 22 January, 2006 22:51 >>> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [email protected] >>> Subject: Re: Birds and styrofoam pellets >>> >>> >>> What do you hope to accomplish, and what led you to do it? >>> >>> WT >>> >>> At 01:21 PM 1/22/2006, Warren W. Aney wrote: >>> >>> I have been using small (<5 mm) styrofoam pellets as a soil >>> additive. >>> Since >>> they tend to accumulate on the soil surface, these whitish >>> pellets might >>> easily be ingested by ground foraging birds. I've done a >>> quick Google >>> search and found little information indicating whether or >>> not this >>> material >>> might be ingested or, if ingested, that it will have >>> adverse effects. >>> Does >>> anyone have any information regarding this? >>> >>> Warren Aney >>> (503)246-8613 > > > -- > > RESEARCH PROGRAM > c/o BILL HILTON JR. Executive Director > Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History > 1432 DeVinney Road, York, South Carolina 29745 USA > [EMAIL PROTECTED], (803) 684-5852, eFax: (503) 218-0845 > > Please visit our web sites (courtesy of Comporium.net): > Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History at http:// > www.hiltonpond.org > "Operation RubyThroat: The Hummingbird Project" at http:// > www.rubythroat.org > > **********
