Ash disposal?

[JPGators17]

My charcoal usage has spiked dramatically this year. Before it became mountains, I used to just toss my ash in a far off corner of my yard and it would wash away with the next rain. Well, it's piling up in a noticeable way and I'd like to come up with a disposal method that is invisible to my wife. However, I'm not going to bag it and toss it with the trash, that seems like an unfriendly thing to do to earth. Any ideas? I can't be the only one right?

[Huskee]

I dump mine is various spread out piles on the edge of the woods, or in the woods. It becomes a part of the landscape after a while. I've never thought of what folks do who don't live in woodsy or in large yard areas, but I suppose they just dump it in the trash. Ash is organic, right? Forest fires renew certain landscapes after time so it can't be bad for the environment. But alas, these are just my anecdotal thoughts.

[JPGators17]

I agree ash has to be organic, or not harmful to the planet, but filling up trash bags with it and having those trash bags take up landfill space somewhere is more what I was referring to.

[Steve B]

I believe there was a post on this subject recently. Several members were using it as a fertilizer for thier lawns. There were other usages but I can't remember what they were.

[Willy]

Depending on where one lives, adding ash to the soil can be detrimental. Specifically, if one lives in an arid climate with alkaline soils, adding ash (also alkaline) is bad. It can be used like lime in areas where soils are acidic, but, even then, it can be overdone in a small garden. I spoke with a campground host who told me one campground he watches requires the host to clean up fire place ashes for disposal lest they wash into the small lake and raise the pH too high, which isn't good for aquatic life.

Having ashes hauled to a garbage dump is very likely the best thing to do unless you do a lot of soil liming AND know what you are doing. BTW, wood ash is a good source of potassium.

[Meathead]

This is the correct answer.

[lonnie mac]

Day after the Q, I always rake mine out into a small bin with a trash bag in it. I throw away any other trash, empty coal bags or whatever and put it in the trash can weather the bag is full or not. Had to get into this habit! I stash empty coal bags anywhere I can stuff them in the back yard, for for years I have a huge dump sized bin in the back yard that is now FULL of ash.

[kmhfive]

Up-to-now, I've just dumped mine in the big yard that I have. I imagine that it would actually be very good for a landfill, though, because of the high pH. Maybe if you have to collect it you can collect it in the giant paper leaf bags that some hardware stores carry -- then when it hits the landfill, its a win-win?

[RonB]

From Wikipedia:

"Kingsford Charcoal is made from charred softwoods such as pine and spruce which is then mixed with ground coal and other ingredients to make a charcoal briquette. As of January 2016, Kingsford Charcoal contains the following ingredients: Wood char - Fuel for heating. Mineral char - Fuel for heating."

Whereas wood ashes can be beneficial, charcoal ashes that contain other ingredients may not be so good. The above quote sez two different things:
1. wood, ground coal, and other ingredients
2. wood char and mineral char

I wouldn't put charcoal ashes in my vegetable garden.

As an aside, Henry Ford developed the process to make charcoal as a way to use wood scraps from automobile production. A relative named Kingsford helped acquire the land for the charcoal plant Ford wanted, and Ford decided to name the charcoal after Kingsford.

[Willy]

Excellent points. It didn't even occur to me to distinguish between wood and briquette ash. I would venture to guess that lump ash is the same as wood ash.

[lonnie mac]

It is brotha. I usually ALWAYS throw away my coal ash. Lump or wood ash I put in my dump bin for "something" later. Have not figured out what that is yet, but coal ash isn't really good for anything.

[JPGators17]

How much would you have liked to have been invited on this camping trip?

https://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/28/magazine/who-made-that-charcoal-briquette.html

[Powersmoke_80]

Well if you have chickens like I do it is a win win,

http://www.fresheggsdaily.com/2016/01/11-great-uses-for-wood-ash-in-your-coop.html

[RonB]

@Powersmoke80 - you link deals with wood ash - not charcoal ask, and charcoal ash is not 100% wood ash, so be cautious.

[Powersmoke_80]

RonB Yeah,thanks, i was talking ash from my offset and wood pellets.

[JCGrill]

+1 on wood vs coal. Read about composting ash. Wood good, coal bad.

[NortheastAl]

Kingsford also contains ground limestone. I believe the ash from Weber's, Stubb's and lump are safer, if not entirely safe, for use in soil.

[Jon Solberg]

I put it in the trash, but not when it's hot. just sayin

[Willy]

My mom once dumped ashes from the fireplace into the garbage when I was a youngun. I found the resulting fire kind of exciting as a third grader.

[JPGators17]

Thanks for all the input. I think lonnie mac and kmhfive have inspired me to put the ash back in the empty KBB bags I also have piling up and toss them out with the trash that way. At least the paper bag will break down in the land fill. Oh, and a side effect of this discussion is that I might finally get a couple of chickens, thanks to Powersmoke_80's link. lol

[Powersmoke_80]

Thanks for the link to the camping trip story, very cool coming from Michigan.

[JeffJ]

Consider dumping your ash into a yard waste bag. I think that's permissible, after all, it is organic.

[smokinfatties]

If you're like me, you are using a lot of foil pans. Depending how much ash, i usually just toss them in a half sheet for full sheet pan and cover with foil to suffocate. Be sure not to dispose until it's fully extinguished. Someone who i know has caught a trash can or two on fire

[Spinaker]

Don't be tellin' stories about me........

[phoccer]

https://www.charbroil.com/community/how-to-dispose-and-recyle-charcoal/