As I understand it, most US newsprint ink is soy-based and considered safe. I have found that plain,thick, brown cardboard is far superior to paper in a worm bin. It does not easily clump,and has air pockets and protein-glue the worms like.

That's why I was surprised to find out about the petroleum based ink here. Even the cardboard makes me wonder, probably comes from china and is doused in chemicals or something for all we know.

What's the name of the newspaper?

Denver Post in Colorado. Makes sense because Colorado seems to be hooked up with the oil industry, so they probably get it cheaper than soy inks.

I'm not sure how safe it is to use petroleum based inks but judging by the fact that when wet they contain nasty VOCs, I'm sure a few get left behind after most evaporate during the drying process, and I really don't want to use it..

According to this, the Denver Post uses soy based ink.
www.pages.drexel.edu/~hcb23/Soy-based%20inks.doc

Major soy-based news ink users include: The Denver Post, The Los Angeles Times, Detroit Free Press, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, The Boston Globe, Washington Times, and St. Petersburg (Florida) Times. Also 23 of USA Today�s 37 print sites use soy-based ink.

I called customer service of Denver post and they told me petroleum. Hmm..Either source could be wrong...I'd trust customer service over that link, but then again, they could have been wrong too.

I dont like cardboard because it gets slimy and the red mites really are attracted to it. It could be just me.

Worm bins should actually be pretty good places to break down hydrocarbons. There's some discussion of the mechanisms of aerobic degradation here: http://www.hindawi.com/journals/btri/2011/941810/

More generally, remember that after considerable time in the bin, you're mixing compost into your garden, where further microbial action happens, plus leaching due to rain. Runoff from roads is likely to be a way bigger contributor of hydrocarbons in your soil than anything that filters through the bin.

compost1311,

Thanks for the link to the forum. I have read all the posts. What is your name there?

Colin that's interesting but I find it hard to believe that my worm bin/garden would necessarily have the right components of bacteria/fungi/etc to degrade any harmful substances 100% of the time before being taken up by vegetables. Not worth my risking eating at least.

Are you growing all your own food?

The standard for "organic" food in the supermarket does not stop trace amounts of hydrocarbons (or other stuff) getting into vegetables via air, groundwater, or soil. And at least by my reading of USDA standards, "organic compost" (suitable for organic farming) can be sold that is made from paper printed with petroleum-based ink. I sympathize with your worries, but I'm puzzled about how anyone would achieve a diet with no food grown in conditions with even trace amounts of hydrocarbons in the soil. You certainly couldn't rely on "organic" labels.

For most of us, composting the cardboard and paper that comes our way is (a) more environmentally responsible than throwing it away and (b) to the extent that it shifts our food intake more toward locally-grown fresh veg, better for our health than what we would eat otherwise.

I suggest thinking in terms of reducing and balancing risks. Life is chancy. Enjoy the gardening and the taste of fresh food!

Benjamin and I agree, if anywhere on the face of the earth has the best chance to "to degrade any harmful substances 100% of the time "it would be a person's own "worm bin/garden" because it would necessarily have the right components of "bacteria/fungi/etc" to do the job right as can be in 2012.

On the other hand I can appreciate your quest towards perfection. Maybe time has worm me down. If they are not actively targeting me I don't protest too much. Evil, I know, but a persons got to live.

equinox squared:

And yet again I find that we have the same attitude to things. I am wondering if we're in the same age group, or have something else in common!, or if it's just happenstance. Maybe anybody crazy enough to raise worms is good people. ;) Whatever, I so enjoy reading you here. Thanks. :D

This is not good for you and also affect environment around you.
It affects the food that is parceled with it after it becomes a old.

Here is a link that might be useful: Health Marking inks

robinhood005: Tell me you actually know what a worm is and are not just a robot for "that link you linked to. Because if you are we will, we will, we will, ummmm squirm around in the dark a lot until we find you. And then we will, we will, we will eat you and then poop you out.

Until then "that link you referenced" is persona non grata and really needs to go live somewhere else.

P.S. You have to sleep sometime.

P. P. S. We have lots of worms.

P. P. P. S. Lots and lots of worms. Some of our worms like to sing a special song while they crawl.

LOL! equinox, I really love your humor. :)

I want what equinox is having.

My worms sing great barbershop quartet stuff when they're happy. When they are in need I hear Ramones I wanna be sedated song emanating from the bin.

For "what equinox is having" see my Jan 24,13 post at:
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/verm/msg120409338535.html?15

Cool, homemade juice. It must have spectacular flavor and aroma.

And don't forget the special dance that they do, where they go wiggling and squiggling across the floor. They call it: ' The Macaroni '.

Shaul