Chuck asked the FML:
 
>Wood Pellets: <snip> Why are they shiny on the curved surfaces?
>Is this a byproduct of the forming process or are there chemical
>byproducts to be concerned about?
 
Wood pellets are made of sawdust (a byproduct of milling) and a little
water.  The pulp is extruded through a metal mold, much as you might squeeze
dough through a pasta maker.  The shininess is caused by the extrusion
process--the pellets are "polished" as they are pushed through the mold.
 
I talked to Energex (who make Energex and Stove Chow, the brand sold at Home
Depot) about the "added chemicals" question.  Chemicals are expensive; water
is cheap.  Chemicals would not add to the value of the product.  Sawdust
burns quite well on its own--you don't need to add anything, so they don't.
Whatever oils are in the product are those native to the timber brought to
the mill.
 
The cat litters Nature's Way and Pine Fresh are also made the same way:
reclaim sawdust from milling operations (in Pine Fresh's case, from
furniture making), mix with a little water, extrude, let dry, package,
ditribute, sell.
 
In another post, Bill Killian mentioned composting the used pellet litter.
I agree, with a caveat.  If you are going to be using the compost on
vegetable crops, be sure that your compost pile maintains a temperature hot
enough to kill the "bad" micro-organisms--not just enough to encourage them.
Otherwise, use the litterbox contents only in a compost heap designated for
ornamentals and lawns.
 
The wood pellets and the other litterbox matter provide a good source of
nitrogen and organic matter for the soil--and, it keeps the rats away from
your compost.
 
-- Lee
   one of the Massachusetts Ferret Friends (MaFF)
   thanking you for remembering New England's shelters
        this holiday season.
 
-- Lee
[log in to unmask]
[Posted in FML issue 1763]