Comments on: How can I reuse or recycle old immersion heaters/boilers? http://www.recyclethis.co.uk/20091014/how-can-i-reuse-or-recycle-old-immersion-heatersboilers Creative ideas for reusing and recycling random stuff Mon, 13 Feb 2012 20:56:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Thornton http://www.recyclethis.co.uk/20091014/how-can-i-reuse-or-recycle-old-immersion-heatersboilers/comment-page-1#comment-997359 Thornton Fri, 16 Oct 2009 11:17:48 +0000 http://www.recyclethis.co.uk/?p=1787#comment-997359 Copper is very durable and so handy for the garden, but when in contact with even a mild acid the oxides created (sometimes called verdigris) are slightly toxic especially to some bacteria and fungus, and some say it can also be harmful to small animals and birds. I would advise not putting your compost in a copper pot. How about using the cylinders as planters for flowers? Here is one fact sheet about copper http://www.npi.gov.au/database/substance-info/profiles/pubs/copper-compounds.pdf I am sure there are others. Humans need copper in small quantities to survive, but measuring the dose you (or a young child or baby) might get from some food grown with compost that has been in contact with your pot would not be easy. Copper is very durable and so handy for the garden, but when in contact with even a mild acid the oxides created (sometimes called verdigris) are slightly toxic especially to some bacteria and fungus, and some say it can also be harmful to small animals and birds. I would advise not putting your compost in a copper pot.

How about using the cylinders as planters for flowers?

Here is one fact sheet about copper
http://www.npi.gov.au/database/substance-info/profiles/pubs/copper-compounds.pdf
I am sure there are others.

Humans need copper in small quantities to survive, but measuring the dose you (or a young child or baby) might get from some food grown with compost that has been in contact with your pot would not be easy.

]]> By: Alice http://www.recyclethis.co.uk/20091014/how-can-i-reuse-or-recycle-old-immersion-heatersboilers/comment-page-1#comment-996790 Alice Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:36:51 +0000 http://www.recyclethis.co.uk/?p=1787#comment-996790 I always find big containers really useful on my allotment, for making compost bins, storing leaves and new manure which have to rot down before they can be used, for piling up the weeds to dry out before I burn them... I always find big containers really useful on my allotment, for making compost bins, storing leaves and new manure which have to rot down before they can be used, for piling up the weeds to dry out before I burn them…

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