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Can I put my toenail clippings in with the food and yard waste?

Mrs. Fnarf thinks this is "gross", and me referring to my toenails as "food waste" even grosser. But I have eaten them before. They're no worse than fingernails, right? They're just animal products, like bone or gristle, right?

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Fnarf asked in House & Home about 1 year ago | Report

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  • Bike-scope_small
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    stinkbug

    From http://planetgreen.discovery.com/work-connect/reuse-nail-clippings.html

    "3 Reuses for Fingernail Clippings":

    ----------------------------
    Here are the best ways to reuse your fingernail clippings:

    Nail your compost pile: Believe it or not, fingernail clippings are entirely compostable. Just make sure your nails are polish-free, and you can throw your protein-rich nail clippings right on into your compost pile. Probably the easiest way to reuse your clippings, most of us should be able to stomach carrying out.

    Use nail clippings to make a pot scrubber: Run out of steel wool, but still have pots and pans encrusted with impossibly hardened food bits? No matter—create your own pot scrubber by collecting your fingernail clips and emptying them into the foot of some discarded pantyhose. Tie it off, and Voila! An instant, free, only mildly repulsive pot scrubber is yours.

    Turn them into fine art: Do as Tim Hawkinson did and create avante garde sculptures with your fingernail clippings. You never know, your body-byproduct art might land you with an opening at the Whitney—Hawkinson's bird skeleton and egg pieces made entirely out of fingernails did.
    ----------------------------

    So obviously you must now insist that Mrs. Fnarf make some pot scrubbers out of your toenails. Let us know how well they work. Thanks.

    stinkbug answered in House & Home about 1 year ago | Report
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  • Img_0355_small
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    I think what's "gross" here is the fact that you admit to eating your own toenails.

    Other than than, I don't see a problem with it. It doesn't seem much different than animal bone or skin.

    Emily Steed answered in House & Home about 1 year ago | Report
    3 comments by kitschnsync, freikja, and freikja…
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  • 40699_419537441050_506801050_5373733_3336214_n_small
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    Go the pill wrapped in hamburger route and tuck them into an old stalk of celery. Fool the Earth into biodegrading them.

    RJF answered in House & Home about 1 year ago | Report
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  • N10741618_9735_small
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    Take them to David Schmader's house. He'll LOVE that.

    Steven Gomez answered in House & Home about 1 year ago | Report
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  • Davidclose2_small
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    My gut feeling is "yes, you can" but apparently the City of Toronto doesn't want hair in the compost, so who knows? Hair and nails are quite similar in their protein composition, as far as I know.

    Gloria answered in House & Home about 1 year ago | Report
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  • Sacri_ordines_by_charism_small
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    Yes, they're entirely compostable. I'd call them 'alternative compostable human-made byproduct' instead of 'food waste' though. (Gotta go with Mrs. Fnarf here. Nail clippings does.not.equal 'food waste'. Eww.)

    Rev.Enant answered in House & Home about 1 year ago | Report
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  • Cat-duck-2_small
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    Many things that are not food are still food waste. I don't see the problem. Though as Emily mentioned, eating your toenails is kinda icky.

    Lee answered in House & Home about 1 year ago | Report
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  • Enso_circle_small
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    I don't find it gross. We are not talking about blood or skin here, just the toenails? I'm not seeing a problem.

    ozchick answered in House & Home about 1 year ago | Report
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  • Spaceship_small
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    No, they're NOT "just like animal products, like bone or gristle"... that's why they have a different name.

    However, your premise that they might be biodegradable may have some validity...if you can wait that many years.

    O my captain answered in House & Home about 1 year ago | Report
    1 comment by Lee…
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