Question about hazards of old (used) pool filter DE in soil...

[HathawayHens]

Hi all! I am a newbie, loving all of the help and info you have to share. I have read a lot about the food grade DE, and bought some to use in and around the coop as needed. My problem is that our pool has a DE filter, and we have for 10 years plus now been dumping the used DE into the back yard, precisely where we now want to build our coop and let our chickens free range!!! I have read so much about the hazards of chemically treated DE... does anyone know if it is any safer once it has been used in a filter, or if We have to change all of our plans and move the coop somewhere else? The area in question is the coolest and shadiest spot on our property... we live in FL, so I think that is important. Thoughts? Thanks so much! (I would really love it if someone else had been in this situation and could comment on how things turned out) Also, how careful to we need to be to keep the chickens out of the new DE that is removed from our filter? Thank you!

Jess

 

[Imp]

Doing a quick search and it seems like the pool DE is pretty nasty stuff. I also googled DE MSDS-it is pretty stable. Can you remove it from the area?

Here's a search result- a little light reading

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/search.php?search_id=666061321

Good luck

Imp

 

[HathawayHens]

OooooH I didn't even think of looking at the MSDS... yeah, we *can* dig it out, but I wish we didn't have to.

I wonder if it filters down into our sandy soil, or if it stays at the top... we can't *see* it on the soil...

I think you are right, though... digging it up might be the safe way to go.

 

[fiberart57]

Make sure that you wear a good mask; dry DE can cause a lot of respiratory problems. Along with just the DE there's all the strong chemicals that are used to keep a pool clean in there so I think you're correct in removing it.

You may have to drop it off at the Hazardous Waste area of your dump.

Mary