What I was trying to say is not to inhale the dust that comes up from soils you are repotting with. I know it flies up in the air when its dry. I know this from experience. Ad the facts speak for themselves.

I accidently evidentially touched something that put appliances in the mix. It was meant only for soil area. Sorry, Im new here. But not new to gardening since I was 8 yrs old. Now Im 80 and have had to give up most gardening having acquired an education and so much experience. Also Im a Lifetime Master Gardener and Master Naturalist. Give me a break. :)

Quote from the internet. Just trying to help you folks who work with dusty soil ingreds. everyday:

If working with organic soil mixes that include compost you need to work outside preferably with any wind blowing the contents away from you. If working inside you need to wear an approved antibacterial mask. A high percentage of compost available in various markets contains legionella and I know of several people who have contracted legionella pneumonia in such circumstances. http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-24348811

When working with dry vermiculite and perlite you should use a dust respirator when working inside. Vermiculite may contain trace amounts of crystalline silica, and chronic exposure can lead to silicosis. Levels above 0.1% should be marked as carcinogenic.

This paper describes reactive airways disease appearing after accidental inhalation of perlite. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/41452213_Acute_Expanded_Perlite_Exposure_with_Persistent_Reactive_Airway_Dysfunction_Syndrome

" Ad the facts speak for themselves "

And what "facts" would those be..........hmmmmm?

" Also Im a Lifetime Master Gardener and Master Naturalist. Give me a break. :) "

Are these supposed to be credentials? Of what exactly?

What are the ramifications of skin contact with peat moss? I was planning to prepare seed trays next week but now I'm having second thoughts about gardening in general. If I decide to dispose of all my organics, are they safe to place in garbage or must I take them to a hazardous waste disposal facility. What to do,what to do,what to do?

klem1, provided your post is not intended to be sarcastic ( 😁), first, do your own research. But make sure your information is being gleaned from reputable sites, like .edu or scientific journals. And think about what you are asking. Forget about the garbage or hazardous waste - how exactly can you 'dispose of all my/your organics', provided you do not carpet your entire property with concrete??

I certainly hope your post IS tongue in cheek. That really is the only reasonable response to the original poster.

I think it's inadvisable to inhale any particulate matter, Brenda. I got a severe sinus infection from breathing moldy, smoking hot, compost two falls ago. There's debate about the harvesting of peat, but I've never heard of any specific health warnings regarding it---other than the dust concern. Welcome to soil, compost and mulch---the best group in the Houzz---and thanks for the reminder.

Brenda, I am so sorry that you hit a brick wall here. I’m sure that no disrespect was intended. You are very welcome here and hope you will stop by often.

I learned to be careful around potting soil and peat moss while in my university studies in Ornamental Horticulture. Back then (late 70s) it was expected that we wear particulate masks whenever mixing or transferring a batch of mix. I instituted the practice when I had my own greenhouse and employees. For forty years.

Later on, I developed a miserable disorder of some kind on my fingers. The very first thing the doctor wanted to know was if I handled soil or peat moss regularly. It was a fungus disease that took about ten years to resolve, was very painful. Over my whole professional career, I knew of dozens of people who had skin issues or illnesses resulting from inhalation of potting soil, field soil, or peat moss. We’ve known for many years that Legionnaires’ Disease, for cryin’ out loud, can be caused by breathing in this dust or mist.

Congratulations on achieving Master Gardener and Master Naturalist status. I used to teach the former occasionally and decided to undertake the latter while I still lived in S.Carolina. It was a terrific experience, especially being around fun, like-minded people.