Question
Is it OK to add pencil shavings to compost? The wood would be OK I'm sure, and the paint ought to be as it has to be childsafe for schoolagers, but I don't have a clue as to graphite.  (I don't know that it matters to my plants as I have yet to get the balance of green to brown materials right so it will all break down...but I have at least 1 very fat cottontail eating out of my heap to think about, as well as a couple of young deer.  Care for a laugh?  I went out to the heap after dark one night and startled up a large animal which I could not clearly see.  When it grunted I recognized the sound of an annoyed whitetail.  I grunted back and it flounced away in a huff, grunting every other step of the way and managing to sound strangely like my 13-year-old daughter!)      Thanx, Kelli Hudson

Answer
Graphite is a source of potassium (K) according to one source featuring a "List of Approved Inputs Used in Organic Production":
http://www.orientalricequeen.com/organic/organic_concept.html  So, I guess the graphite part would be ok.

But, pencils are made industrially by mixing finely ground graphite and clay powders, adding water, forming long spaghetti-like strings, and firing them in a kiln. The resulting strings are dipped in oil or molten wax which seeps into the tiny holes of the material, resulting in smoother writing. A CEDAR plank with several long parallel grooves is cut, and the graphite/clay strings inserted. Another plank is glued on top, and the whole thing is then cut into individual pencils, which are then varnished or painted.

The cedar around the pencil has a toxic resin in it, (which is why you do not see any vegetative growth under cedar trees)- both cedar and pine shavings, the bedding choices most commonly used for small animals, have been found to contain toxins - phenols (the stuff that makes them smell good) are caustic, poisonous, acidic compounds. These compounds cause constant irritation to the nasal passages, throat, and lungs of small animals giving bacteria an easy opening, thus commonly causing pneumonia. There have been studies where it was fed to rats (or small amimals eating it out of your compost pile!) the Phenols  affected organs such as the liver and kidneys, since these organs are responsible for filtering toxins out of the body. When presented with a large amount of toxins over time, they are unable to filter it all out and begin to fail. An animal with a damaged liver will have a depressed immune system, which can lead to other medical conditions.  http://search.msn.com/pass/results.aspx?q=cedar+toxins&FORM=SMCRT

I don't think that I would compost them, myself, even though a large amount may be required to be toxic, you still would probably not want to eat them. You could use them for general recycling instead of composting.

If you are having trouble with your compost layers, and the breaking down of your compost, visit our website and read about composting...http://www.avant-gardening.com