From: "deelusbybeekeeper" <deelusbybeekeeper@excelonline.com>
Date: Mon, 5 Mar 2001 14:40:24 -0800
To: <BiologicalBeekeeping@yahoogroups.com>
Subject: Re: Clean Wax for Organic Production

Hi to all on Biological Beekeeping

A while back on www.beesource.com I wrote a lot of stuff for the way back to
biological beekeeping that Barry posted for all to read. Part of it concerned "Decontamination" that was broken down into three parts to read. The recommended decontaminaiton procedures are listed in part #3 for
Recycling Beeswax part #12 of the Saga that was posted there:

the url is: http://www.beesource.com/pov/lusby/part12.htm

to give you an idea as to content, this is some of what is written there:

Many beekeepers erroneously believe that processing wax cappings / slumgum into wax cakes, by either use of solar-wax melters, water-bath presses, or steam-heated melters, they can reuse wax reclaimed without fear of residue problems. But most substances applied as preventative treatments for parasitic mites and secondary diseases migrate both into beeswax and honey, and are extremely hard to get out; and in reality, although approved for treatment, actually these compounds have no known way (published) of being decontaminated completely out of beeswax in one fast processing cycle, nor removed from honey.

Many residues that contaminate wax are insoluble in water and require an
antidote to hydrolyze according to various Farm / Agri Chemicals Handbooks.
Here many times, the current effect, in decontaminating the wax residues, is
that the wax itself is destroyed. Some residues high heat cannot destroy
without destroying the wax itself. To destroy residues by burning also
destroys wax. But in one instance this is alright as candles are meant to be
burned. If one processes beeswax into candles and sells, as the residues are
burned (possible fluvalinate and coumaphos here in the USA), a product is
saved as a monetary source.

But caution, here in the USA it is known in industry practice, that some
beekeepers have also used chlorine bleach within hives to fight secondary
diseases by adding to liquid feed or spraying diluted, lightly on brood
combs, or even bleach their wax to obtain a higher color grade. This is
dangerous practice, in that chlorine is readily absorbed by beeswax (or
honey) and when recycled and made into candles, chlorine gas is given off
when candles are burned. As for other residues destroyed, well this is okay
as long as the beekeeper knows for certain that no harmful residues are
escaping the burning process, that might take the lice out of someone's hair
(reputable testing needs to be done to ascertain that no harmful residues
are being given off)! As for sub-lethal residues returned to the hive in the
form of wax recycled into foundation base, well the problem is still there -
contamination!

The above text then goes into possible ways to decontaminate wax i.e.
photodegradation, water bath, etc but still nothing is really published on
the subject that I know of. Perhaps some of you could read and give comments on?

Just how do we get clean wax, other than going pot progressive and working
bees up and accumuulating it as we go to make more comb by hand, which is labor intensive? We have gained much wax from feral combs, by doing swarm cut-outs and saving the wax thru rendering after transfering to our newly made foundation. But how many actually have th time to do this?

This looks like a serious discussion starting. So far Don, Erik & John have
certainly made some valid points all need to consider. Will be interesting
to see where it goes for helping others.

Regards

Dee