[8doubles]

But if the EU have not tested , approved and taxed your chimney soot it will probably be illegal to use it on edible crops !

 

but it's going on the soil, not on the crops 

Touche'

[GrowinGrowinGone]

An old boy told me once he used to use it years ago, and the slugs and snails would not go anywhere near his plants once he had starting using it.  I did consider trying it myself, just never got round to it.

[simonwatson]

As has already been noted by another user, soot (the residue of burning, not pure carbon powder) is a known carcinogen, not suspected, known. I haven't been able to find anything on the web about the reduction of carcinogens in soot by weathering. The main culprits are polyaromatic compounds which have zero solubility in water so they aren't going to be simply washed away. I personally won't be putting any on my plot.

[mumofstig]

the compounds are broken down by microbial action.

[ilan]

If you have any charcoal makers near by they also sell finnings (charcoal dust ) which is great for adding to the soil esp clay