Composting Facial Tissues ~ Used Ones

This has been a discussion around our house for a little while now. I would like to reduce our additions to the local landfill even more than we already have. Currently some biggies that we do are using cloth diapers, using reusable menstrual products, buying our laundry, shampoo (ask her about her larger size bottles) and other supplies in large quatities and then decanting them into refillable containers. We also compost and recycle. I want to do more though. We still have stuff that goes in the garbage. I asked Dave (he is a scientist don't forget) about recycling used facial tissues and paper towels.

He sees my point, but thinks that this might be taking things a bit far. He is concerned about the bacteria that might be able to thrive in the composting process and then infect us later. Seeking to prove the point once and for all, I took to the web. I found another blogger who has looked in to the same thing and thinks that Dave is right, for food crops at least.

To quote from their post:
A study published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases in October 2006 reports:
Many people carry Staphylococcus aureus, a potential disease-causing microbe, in their nose and now new research shows that large amounts of this organism and other bacteria are released into the air with every sneeze.

In a discussion on food poisoning, Health A to Z cautions:
It is estimated that 50% of healthy people have the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus in their nasal passages and throat, and on their skin and hair. Rubbing a runny nose, then touching food can introduce the bacteria into cooked food. Bacteria flourish at room temperature, and will rapidly grow into quantities capable of making people sick.

Could I safely throw our tissues in the compost pile and then confidently use that compost on food crops? I’ve searched online and had trouble finding any references at all to whether this is a legitimate concern.

Yesterday, I saw that John and Louisa in the UK recommend that you do not try to compost your snot due to the possibility that pathogens will survive the composting process.On Joseph Jenkins’ Humanure site, he instructs composters to allow composted toilet material to age for one year before applying it to your soil. If the compost temperature is maintained at the proper heat levels, the finished compost can be used on food crops.

So yes, I’m confident that in the right composting conditions, composting our snotty tissues would render the pathogens harmless. Unfortunately, our current situation does not allow us to set up an appropriate composting system and have the time to age it properly.

If you are still reading, here are my thoughts. We don't have a food garden, well, aside from the raspberries we don't. If I kept the compost away from food gardening, would it be okay?? I mean, if this stuff is already in my nasal passages anyhow, who cares if I get it on my hands when I am gardening, right? Hmm, we'll have to think about it.