Compost health hazard!

[Tursiops2]

Man dies after inhaling fungal spores from garden compost | Science | The Guardian

Something to be aware of, at least.

[Meta menardi]

Sounds fairly similar to Farmers lung, now very much less common due to silage making instead of hay. Poor guy.

[galanthus]

What next ? Makes you think you may as well go bungee jumping or shark diving rather than try and potter innocently in the garden

[Jez]

I have to say that is scary as well as unfortunate & sad! I will wear a mask in future just in case... probably O.T.T... but never the less I don't want to take my chances!

[nightshade]

It does say "old bags of compost" old hay and old straw can cause the same
sorts of problem.
Now nice fresh compost with a chocolate cake consistency........

[Kayleigh]

Originally Posted by nightshade

It does say "old bags of compost" old hay and old straw can cause the same
sorts of problem.
Now nice fresh compost with a chocolate cake consistency........

Yes, and it did say he had some sort of reaction to it as well. Possibly low immunity.

[cat72uk]

i am about to install a compost bin
mmm may get me one of those all in 1 bio hazzard suits

[shei111]

Originally Posted by Kayleigh

Yes, and it did say he had some sort of reaction to it as well. Possibly low immunity.

Hello Yes I would definately wear a mask after reading that whilst in the bin , it was also in The Mail today, sheila

[witham]

we've recently gone from a big eyesore of a heap to compost bins in an attempt to tidy up the garden so will have to watch out around there as well I had a bad reaction to some extra dusty hay earlier this year and was given a ventalin spray incase it happened again so will perhaps need the supersize next time

[Paul mabbott]

What happened was that the chap got an infection of a fungus - this commonly happens and the body copes with it but in this case the infection was apparently enormous and proved fatal. Wasn't helped by the medics not knowing the cause - they were treating with antibiotics which don't work on fungi until, after some days, someone told them about the clouds from the compost heap! If they'd been told earlier they could probably have cured him. So if anything like this happens to you don't keep schtum!

In effect what the bloke got was an acute form of farmers lung: the fungi can grow in particularly in damp hay and straw. Shouldn't happen in a well mixed compost heap but if there are large volumes of grass in there it may. If you do get apparent dust arising from your compost then stop whatever you're doing, put on a mask/respirator and wet the compost gently before re-mixing it ....