Java Pellets & Mold

[Salty]

So I got 4 ton of Java Pellets this summer and loaded into the basement. All ready for this burn season. Today I had the local stove dealer here cleaning the stove and mentioned this. He said they got some and decided not to carry because they developed mold inside the bags due to improper drying. Mentioned he believed they stopped production due to this...

So I got an inspect and sure enough all the pellets are turning white inside the bag and looks to be powdery mold throughout.

Anyone seen this, and is this stuff even safe to open the bags now inside a house? Could be tons of mold spores released? Bad for health?

 

[Salty]

I should also mention I have 9 tons of pellets in the basement right now and only the java pellets exhibit this. I have logic E softwood, Lacrete and even some Okanagans stashed away and none show mold.

 

[johneh]

Contact the seller about a bad batch of pellets and if
will not help contact the maker and then a lawyer

 

[EbS-P]

All depends on the type of mold. 4 tons is a lot of moldy pellets. I guess you could get a mold test kit and send it off. At the least I’d be wearing an N95 mask when handling. I do wonder what they will look like in 4 months. How do you not dry your pellets enough. Moisture content would the second thing I was monitoring with the first being size and how well they held together

 

[Salty]

I'm concerned since some of the bags look like they have cotton balls in them there's so much. This doesn't seem to be affecting all, but a vast majority of the bags. I got a call into the dealer and will hopefully hear from them tomorrow.

 

[SteelGuy]

How did you make out with your dealer?

I had a similar issue and had to discard the pellets. I had mine pellets stored in my basement with a dehumidifier running 24/7 (my electric bill sucks). Relative humidity in the basement was hovering around 30% (extremely dry).

 

[Don2222]

Hello
Looks like all kinds of things can grow in coffee grounds! Fungus Mold…etc

Discovering Mould Growth in Used Coffee Grounds – Tips for Handling

The post discusses the growth of mold on used coffee grounds in a shed. The author observes different fungi growth and explains that it’s a natural part of decomposition. They suggest ways to…

groundtoground.org

 

[Washed-Up]

Good read, thanks Don

 

[Montecarlossfan]

That sucks, sounds like you got a bad run that weren’t dried out properly maybe? … I know when I ran them , they burn hot and no ash.

 

[Salty]

So the dealer will take them back but I have to get them there. No way to transport 2.5 tons. Going to end up probably in the dumpster. I'm pretty disappointed. Waste of money and should have known better. As said above alot of stuff will grow in coffee grounds. So I guess I'm not suprised at this. I won't be going back to this dealer. What else do I do? Open a small claims case for $30 against him and the mfg? They should send a few guys over here with some pallets and pick them all up. I dumped a half bag into the hopper last night, the pellets are slippery kinda like they're wet. The bag I put in had no cotton ball type mold in it, just a white fluorescence on the pellets. I went to bed and woke up with a nasty sore throat that went away mid morning. I think it's related now. I tried not to raise dust with them.

This whole thing leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth. I won't badmouth the dealer but for a major delivery company they could have offered better. The guy told me they'd take them back if I wanted to bring them back a little at a time. Cept that would end up costing me a few tanks of fuel and alot of time. Especially with a torn muscle in my arm, I'm not lifting squat.

 

[Montecarlossfan]

So the dealer will take them back but I have to get them there. No way to transport 2.5 tons. Going to end up probably in the dumpster. I'm pretty disappointed. Waste of money and should have known better. As said above alot of stuff will grow in coffee grounds. So I guess I'm not suprised at this. I won't be going back to this dealer. What else do I do? Open a small claims case for $30 against him and the mfg? They should send a few guys over here with some pallets and pick them all up. I dumped a half bag into the hopper last night, the pellets are slippery kinda like they're wet. The bag I put in had no cotton ball type mold in it, just a white fluorescence on the pellets. I went to bed and woke up with a nasty sore throat that went away mid morning. I think it's related now. I tried not to raise dust with them.

This whole thing leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth. I won't badmouth the dealer but for a major delivery company they could have offered better. The guy told me they'd take them back if I wanted to bring them back a little at a time. Cept that would end up costing me a few tanks of fuel and alot of time. Especially with a torn muscle in my arm, I'm not lifting squat.

That sucks, wonder if they would bring you new pellets for the cost of delivery and take the old back? It’s worth a shot, better than eating the cost of those .

 

[SteelGuy]

I don't know what dealer you went to but that is completely unacceptable. I am in Central MA too, so you must have gone to a different dealer.

I gave photos of the problem to my dealer with backup information and they told me they were going to come pick them up if I wanted.... or I could just dump them. I decided to just dump them.... now I have a big pile of pellets outside that needs to be leveled off. I wasn't happy that I spend the time moving them into my basement only to have to spend time removing them again. I would be livid if I had to pay for 2 tons to be thrown away.

At the price of these pellets, I would consider any and all options. I am surprised the dealer is risking health related issues to save themselves a few $. This whole mold issue can turn into a quagmire extremely quickly. They would be best to just give you your money back and move on with their lives vs potential mold mitigation.