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is pencil shavings good for throwing on the plants? like for compost?

My mom was about to throw it in the garden for compost on her plants, shes the type to save egg shells, bananas, coffee grounds, etc. for her garden. But i don't think it be a great idea for pencil shavings considering it has lead.. would this be harmful or backfirE? or is it completely safe to use?

Public Comments

1. No, I don't think that I would compost them myself. A large amount will be toxic. Just like how you wouldn't eat them, your plans won't either. The materials used in the pencils aren't just pure wood, it has waxes, oils, and graphite/ clay. The best thing you can do with the shavings is to use them for general recycling instead of composting.
2. No, I would not put it in compost. Even if its only a little lead. Tell her to stick with the egg shells and all vegetable matter.
3. there's no 'lead' in the pencils today... it's graphite!.... and the wood shavings are just fine in compost.... just don't put them into the soil around a plant until after they're composted.... mom's right....
4. Wood shaving, saw dust, ETC. are not good to put directly into the soil because as they compost they need lots of nitrogen and they will get it from the plants around them thus causing a nitrogen deficiency. but I doubt that pencil shaving will cause much of a problem because of the minuscule amount.