My compost pile is close to an area we sprayed with Round Up for Poison Ivy and Poison Oak. There was more than poison ivy and poison oak, but all was intertwined so we had to spray it all.

As I was adding the final layers of kitchen waste and leaves to my first compost pile this morning, I looked around the area and realized that some of the vines (now dead) that we had treated may have been raked up into the bottom layer of the compost pile.

I read the article linked on the replies to "Contaminated Compost". (I think it was by Jean). The active ingredient does not APPEAR to be the same. It is Glyphosate, isopropylamine salt and Triclopyr, triethylamine salt ALTHOUGH the second name has two syllables that make me think it is at least similar.

The article on one of the links SEEMED to indicate, because of the half life, that waiting at a year before using the compost will PROBABLY make it safe. I'm not going to be using my compost on vegetables or fruit, BUT I will be using it on ornamentals (hosta, fern, heuchera, astibe etc) that I do not want to inadvertently kill.

I'm totally bummed that my first compost pile may be contaminated. I'm sure I will have at least another, maybe two, before the summer ends, but still I'm bummed.

Any thoughts or cautions? Just wait a year or so to use that first pile?

Robin in NC

Lloyd

Further, glyphosate is inactivated with soil contact.

At best it sounds like using the poison ivy roundup was neutral; at worst it may have contaminated the run off ponds for our neighborhood.

Originally we were going to mow it all down. Then when we actually walked it and found all those green vines were ivy and oak, we knew that wasn't even an option anymore. We are assuming that at least some will return. Guess I'll have to research that also to see if there is another way to remove it.

Thanks again!
Robin

The isopropylamine is a stabilizer for the glyphosate, NOT an herbicide.