composting paperboard

Eric D Nash (ednS94@hamp.hampshire.edu)
Mon, 5 Dec 1994 22:50:00 -0500 (EST)

I'm looking for information (bibliographical or your personal
experiences/research) regarding toxcicity of brightly dyed cardborad boxes
(eg.cereal, pasta, or shoe boxes) as compost bulking agents. They are
currently non-recycleable in our area and we would like to keep them out
of the landfill.
We at the Hampshire College Farm Center currently compost most of
the food wastes generated on campus (1300 students) and are considering
expanding our composting operation to include shredded paperboard and
non-recycleable corrugated cardboard.
Specific areas of interest include heavy metals or other toxics
in dyes or other paperboard constituents, and their fate in finished compost
(is organic immobilization a reality?).
Any help you can provide will be greatly appreciated.