I actually have no idea where it is ok to dispose of ash. You know, the kind that builds up in a fireplace, fire pit and of course the grill. Is it something you can put in a green bin? Are you "allowed" to put it in your trash?
Do you have a compost heap? Mine goes there.
You can put anything you like in your trash.
Tom
Then I would put it in the trash.
Ashes go in the regular garbage. The only precaution is having an intermediate , prefferably metal container to let them cool off before putting them in the plastic garbage bag.
In Baden, ash is one of the things which shouldn't go into the green bin. However, I can't find anything on our Entsorgungskalender which says where it should go.
Edit...just saw Simeon's and J. Marple's posts. Sounds right.
Thanks. Just wanted to make sure. Of course I'd let them cool off before dumping them.
We put ash in the green bin.
And you live in Baden? Oh dear, good job the Gemeinde doesn't know who you are.
Its what the guys who installed the heating system, told us to do...
Apparently you can even put coffee in the green bin:
http://www.wettingen.ch/de/dienstema...object_id=2353
(List at the bottom of this page)
oops.. it says ash= no.
however... the guys who installed the heating system are related to the guys who own the rubbish collection....
Wood ash go onto the garden- full of potassiusm and other mineral salts- it's a great natural fertiliser. Just put a whole loads around the raspberry beds. Coffee grounds are great too- and keep slugs at bay as well. I just take the container from the coffee machine and throw the grounds on the perenial border.
Trying to imagine why councils would not want wood ash in the green bin- for above reasons!?! Unless some people have caused fires and melting bins by putting hot ash in?!?
Ash is allowed in the green bins here. It just makes sense yo make sure they're cool before putting them in there.
To much potassium (K) can be detrimental to plant development, K is useful for root development mainly, too much can lead to a lack of over ground foliage.
Basically....
N = Growth of the plant
P = development of floraison
K = Development of roots.
N you always need here and K also, in general Swiss soils are well equipped in P and not much is needed.
Foe lawns etc, look for slow release N to keep them nice and green, but it's a lot more expensive than agricultural N which is more like a single kick in the arse for a plant, slow release gives a bit every day for 6-8 weeks.
(price is very different too.....)
Ash can be strewn over snow and ice, as an anti-slip agent, on paths and driveways.
Of course you can (are able to), but that doesn't mean you should. In many cases it's outright illegal.
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Using ash as fertilizer can permanently impair soil quality. Officials unequivocally advise against using ash as fertilizer.
Instead, dispose of it as ordinary household waste. Make sure the ash has room temperature when you throw it in the waste bin. Ash isn't organic so it has no place in the green bin.
The benefit you get from ash as fertilizer is small (typically 1% K, little P, negligible if any N) and usually more than countered by the heavy metals as well as the carcinogenic contents (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons). Loss of N can even be increased because K makes the soil more basic (increases pH) which can increase the building of ammoniac (NH3, gaseous, about 80% is N).
I thought I had a vague memory of this topic appearing recently:
Disposing of wood stove ashes
Most things other than hazardous waste are perfectly legal to toss in the trash, including ash.
Tom
I put mine in the compost - it confuses the shit out of the mouse that lives in there.....all foggy!
Or in the bin with the dog shit and nappies.
Or just don't burn wood in your fire, problem solved. I haven't had the fire on in months, it's too mild.
Of course. I did a search for "ash" and nothing came up. Should have tried "ashes". Lol