Expert: Sam Kelly - 10/28/2008

Question
I discovered an ancient reclaim bucket in the back of my storage closet that turned out to be porcelain from 1998 or so. The top was lovely white, but beneath was a thick black layer of what I think is mold/stinky bacteria. I decided to use it anyway, since I hate to waste anything and I have learned that mold and bacteria in clay makes it better. I have dealt with black stuff in paper clay before, but never as gross as this stuff. I wedged the clay together to make nice hunks of grey clay - which looked alot like my white stoneware. It throws beautifully, handles stick beautifully. However, the anaerobic tendencies of this bacteria layer worry me - is this clay going to make me sick? What are your thoughts?

Answer
Hi Jessica, I don't know if it will make you sick or not. So far it has not effected me. I do 2 days a week at college working in the ceramics section and our reclaim bins often have this rotten clay in the bottom if i don,t keep them clean. I handle this with bare hands, send it through the pug mill and all students use it.

I seriously think that rotting dirt will not do anything to you, to my knowledge there are no chemicals in clay, just raw mineral product.

I have made all sorts of clay both for throwing and slip casting. the slip casting clay having dispex, sodium silicate and rarley soda ash, this clay liquid being the only type i have handled with chemicals.

Sam