Replies

1. 
   bd | Apr 01, 2006 03:31pm | #1

   Just a couple of wags that might help. Find a garden center, not the Wal-Mart or Home Depot kind, but the kind that raises some of their own plants, does landscaping, etc. They may take the shavings to add to their compost or mulch piles. Find a "friend" that lives in the country, etc. Even flower gardeners, etc., should take some of the shavings.

2. 
   tufenhundel | Apr 01, 2006 04:05pm | #2

   I won't be much help, but I feel for you. I had a shop in Chicago for a while. When I first put the dust into the garbage, the crew came by and just dumped it on the ground in the alley. Their way of saying they won't take it, I guess.

   Then I started putting them in black garbage bags and they took it, because they can't tell what's inside. I thought this was idiotic policy. If left unbagged, the stuff can easily decompose. Didn't feel good about bagging it, but nobody wanted it, and I have no country friends.

   I've been scheming ways to form logs out of the dust to burn it like...eh..well, logs. But I also work with plywood, so this has kept me from going forward with this idea.

   Moved to Indiana with a few acres now. Good luck.

3. 
   forestgirl | Apr 01, 2006 06:28pm | #3

   Persue BD's recommendation.  The landscapers themselves may or may not take it, but they should know where the nearest topsoil and composting business is.  The other option would be to raise worms (just kidding, sorry).

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 
   

1. 
   arkriver | Apr 01, 2006 06:47pm | #4

   There is an organization called Free Cycle. Join up, and post a message there. Should be some takers.

2. 
   10450 | Apr 01, 2006 06:52pm | #5

   Luckily, here in my McNeighborhood in suburbia, they've taken my bags of shavings/dust with the rest of the trash. But I've wondered about the possibility of using it in my landscaping. Will I have a problem with termites or anything else? For that matter, dust has collected and stayed around the entrance of my garage/shop and I've only half-heartedly swemp up on occation. Should I be worrying about that as well?Hope I don't have "the bugs". I live in Indiana if that matters or makes a difference.Kurt

1. 
   forestgirl | Apr 01, 2006 10:54pm | #6

   Termites don't set up housekeeping in shavings.  As far as I know, or can guess, the harmful critters we worry about -- termites, bark beetles for instance -- need whole wood to do their thing.  There are little dudes call "flea beetles" that will show up in wet firewood -- they winter in damp areas of leaves and such but actually feed on various vegetables, not wood from what I've read.

   You'll need to do some research on composing wood shavings and dust.  My knowledge is rather scattered.  I know you need to be careful about mixing in raw shavings to topsoid, because as the bacteria decompose the shavings, they rob nitrogen from the soid.  I use shavings on top of cardboard to lay around the trunks of trees and keep the weeds down (not against the trunk of the tree).  I toss them in my worm bin to provide the roughage they need (in place of newspapers, which can also be used).  Shavings are fine for the "brown" part of the brown-and-green combination you need for a compost pile.

   There's one woodworker on the island whose place I pass periodically, he just has a big pile o' shavings next to the driveway.  I suppose he borrows from it when he needs to.  Never seems to change size very much.  Don't know what the deal is.

    

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 

   Edited 4/1/2006 3:58 pm by forestgirl

4. 
   Hairface | Apr 02, 2006 06:09pm | #7

   Thank all of you for your input, Thought that this subject be brought up for the other woodworkers to have knowledge of what is happening with our inviroment, and laws. Along with yard debree, that is another problem getting rid of. COMPOST THAT ALREADY. 

   THANK YOU .