Herbicides in Compost

Clopyralid & Compost

The Dow chemical herbicide Clopyralid persists in some finished compost and has been detected in compost samples in several places in the U.S. Being a broadleaf herbicide, residues in compost can cause foliar damage to sensitive plants. Several reports and research studies below summarize the problems surrounding the issue.

Reports & Studies

• The Role of Quantitative Analysis and Plant Bioassays for Investigations of Herbicide Contamination in Compost. (William F. Brinton, Eric Evans, Craig Blewett)
• Prevalence and Fate of Clopyralid in Compost - From BioCycle the Journal of Composting and Organics Recycling (February 2002, Page 57)
• Herbicides in Compost - Link to the US Composting Council's FAQ webpage on Herbicides in Compost.
• Persistent Herbicides - Link to the US Composting Council's webpage on Persistent Herbicides.