"Burning is bad for you" post

there is an interesting thread here with questions that need answereing
It is from ausergroup who want to use less chemical fertiliser.
SEE
http://groups.google.com/group/Fossil-Free-Landscaping/browse_frm/thread/f593a12c1c943bcd/#
Chris Shorb wrote:
. . .
2-Burning anything is toxic. Benzo-pyrene is a nasty chemical which
actually CAUSES cancer. Anytime we burn organic matter at normal low
temperatures (charcoal, bonfires, open flames, etc.) we create
benzo-pyrene exhaust. Smoking, barbecuing, campfire smoke, candle
smoke, etc. all create poisonous carcinogenic benzo-pyrene.

Burning organic corn may or may not create "organic" charcoal, but
organic or not, it will be poisonous.

Burning is bad. Sorry.

We have other technology available which is not poisonous such as
focused sunlight, solar electric, wind electric, etc., etc.

Dave

7
From: michaelangelica - view profile
Date: Mon, Jan 22 2007 12:49 am
Email: "michaelangelica"

Terra preta Charcoal agriculture

There is a long discussion of Terra preta here
http://forums.hypography.com/earth-science/3451-terra-preta.html
There are lots of links to other sites, articles, research and blogs.

and a shorter discussion of Terra preta at The Permaculture Forum.

There will be a discussion group starting next week

One of the ingreadients in Terra preta gardening is charcoal. Produced
preferably at low temperatures of 400-500C
The systems I have seen such at that of "Best Energies" is self
contained and recycles gasses to run the plant and produce
electricity.I don't think Benzo-pyrene is a worry as the system is
self-contained, but I will ask
Isn't Benzo-pyrene produced when natural gas is burnt?

Charcoal tablets are often given to patients who have ingested poisons,
and activated charcoal is used to filter and purify water, so I don't
think it can be too toxic

The role of charcoal in the soil is still being studied, but as far as
this group is concerned it lessens dependence on any fertiliser, other
than organic matter and manures.
It promote the microbial and fungal life of the soil in ways we don't
fully understand.
It improves soil CEC.enormously
The Natives of the Amazon basin claim Terra preta soil "grows".
Certainly is is the most fertile soil seen in the tropics and is man
made.
The charcoal has been ground into a very fine powder. Soils can be
metres deep.

Other important ingredients of Terra preta soils seem to be fish waste,
organic matter, manures and pottery shards. There may be a special
"suite" of bacteria and fungi that make the Terra preta of the Amazon
special. However I have seen good results using charcoal in potting
mixes. The Japanese have been using it for years and it is a major
ingredient in Bonsai Potting mixes.

Many people who are not gardeners or farmers are excited about Terra
preta's ability to safely and almost permanently sequester CO2 and thus
help reduce our Global Warming crisis

There will be an international Conference on Terra preta and bio-char
later this year in Australia.

From: michaelangelica - view profile

You are right Dave burning most things sems to produce Benzopyrene
In a properly engineered pyrolisys plant however the production is
minimal. a lot less that satrting up your diesal 4-WD.
(At the moment a goodly part of oz is on fire with raging busfires!)
Benzo-pyrene is cleared from the body by an enzyme with called
"glutathione-S -transferase p, called GS T-p"
I think production of this lessens as you get older (?)

The main source of cancerous Benzo-pyrene is cigarette smoke

To put it in perspective however, see the following chart (an extract
follows)
http://www-envirinfo.llnl.gov/1Radiationandyou_doc.pdf
(Page 2)
Riisky Busiiness?
Each of the following activities
increases your risk of death by one chance in one million
Activity Cause of
Death
10 millirem of radiation (typical chest X-ray) Cancer
About 20 days of breathing
(radon "daughters" in air)
Lung
cancer
Smoking 1 cigarette Cancer, heart
disease
Drinking 1/2 liter of wine Cirrhosis of
the liver
Living 2 months with a cigarette smoker Cancer, heart disease
Eating 40 teaspoons of peanut butter Cancer caused by
alfatoxin B
Drinking Miami drinking water for 1 year Cancer caused by
chloroform
Drinking 30 cans of diet soda Cancer caused by
saccharin
Eating 100 charcoal-broiled steaks Cancer caused by
benzopyrene

Last week in Oz we had a lady die from drinking too much water!
So even drinking pure fresh water can be deadly!

The new Terra Preta Website is up and running and I am sure there are
more knowledgeable people than me there who would be happy to discuss
your concerns.
SEE
http://terrapreta.bioenergylists.org/about
michael