Yew Wood Chippings

[Iola Decree]

Hello,
I have accepted a massive pile of yew wood chippings with the intention of spreading it along a well used path through my woodland. I am aware of the toxic properties of yew but thought that was limited to leafy parts and seeds of fruit. I am being told a splinter of the wood in someones foot could cause a heart attack. Is this a genuine concern? I figured the layer of chip would get covered by leaf fall and toxins leech out through rain fall too. minimizing risk. its not cutlery but folk do walk about barefoot in the summer any thoughts/ knowledge would be appreciated before i have to barrow it away to a less used corner of the woodland. x

 

[Watch-keeper]

There is a very, very sad story in the news, linked below.
Not entirely relevant but worth taking note, as far as i know all of the parts of yew are poisonous apart from the red part of the berry, unfortunately the seeds are contained in the berry and are poisonous.

MSN

 

[Broch]

Hello,
I have accepted a massive pile of yew wood chippings with the intention of spreading it along a well used path through my woodland. I am aware of the toxic properties of yew but thought that was limited to leafy parts and seeds of fruit. I am being told a splinter of the wood in someones foot could cause a heart attack. Is this a genuine concern? I figured the layer of chip would get covered by leaf fall and toxins leech out through rain fall too. minimizing risk. its not cutlery but folk do walk about barefoot in the summer any thoughts/ knowledge would be appreciated before i have to barrow it away to a less used corner of the woodland. x

I very much doubt that is true TBH otherwise there would have been a lot of 'death by splinters' from Yew bows over the years. I have a Yew walking stick and I'm confident I wouldn't die from a splinter from it.

Bear in mind that some people could die from a reaction to many fairly innocuous natural things such as plants, fungi, and insects.

Having said all that (without liability ) - only you can really decide. Have a look at this to see if it helps you make up your mind:

Toxicity of Yew Wood and Roots

A case study of yew toxicity in fresh and aged yew roots and stem.

extension.psu.edu

P.S. - you do have public liability insurance in your wood don't you?

 

[Kadushu]

I can imagine the Russian secret service sneaking around putting yew sawdust in dissidents' dinners!

 

[Tony]

There is a very, very sad story in the news, linked below.
Not entirely relevant but worth taking note, as far as i know all of the parts of yew are poisonous apart from the red part of the berry, unfortunately the seeds are contained in the berry and are poisonous.

MSN

That's a sad story and the fact that most people involved didn't know that Yews were poisonous sows you how much knowledge is getting lost.

I've used Yew for a few different things and never worried about handling it, carving it etc, I'd not want to ingest dust or any other bits of it and i'd not worry about a splinter.
IMO It rots just like any other tree and if its chippings will soon rot away, I'd probably not put it on the path but around general I'd not worry.

 

[crosslandkelly]

Joiners, bowyers, furniture makers and cabinet makers have been working with Yew for centuries, I've never heard of any Yew related deaths among them.

 

[bobnewboy]

Joiners, bowyers, furniture makers and cabinet makers have been working with Yew for centuries, I've never heard of any Yew related deaths among them.

…although Del the Cat’s breathing sounds a bit laboured on his YouTube channel these days.

 

[GNJC]

Hello,
I have accepted a massive pile of yew wood chippings with the intention of spreading it along a well used path through my woodland. I am aware of the toxic properties of yew but thought that was limited to leafy parts and seeds of fruit. I am being told a splinter of the wood in someones foot could cause a heart attack. Is this a genuine concern? I figured the layer of chip would get covered by leaf fall and toxins leech out through rain fall too. minimizing risk. its not cutlery but folk do walk about barefoot in the summer any thoughts/ knowledge would be appreciated before i have to barrow it away to a less used corner of the woodland. x

I've cut lots of yew and guarantee I've had splinters from it or handled it with open cuts and scratches, and... I am still here. However, I have had young stock die from eating it - which is why I've cut a lot of yew... (Foxgloves - digitalis - are the main go-to way for lambs to kill themselves...)

Edit to add: I can't comment on it in chipping form, but in the round it takes a hell of a long time to rot down.

 

[dwardo]

Made lots of yew bows and no issues. Cherry was the worst from memory.

Yew is so soft it tends to lend better to blades than abrasives so dust isn't usually an issue. I have had a few splinters with no issues other than the usual.

 

[Ystranc]

It depends on whether you have pets that may ingest it accidentally (perhaps while digging or picking something else up)
Personally I wouldn’t use it in a path because I have dogs, they’re always picking stuff up and it only takes a small amount of taxine to be fatal to one of them. Taxine is present in all parts of the yew including the seeds (except the flesh of the berry)

 

[Minotaur]

Yew berries are proof that the saying about watching what birds eat and then eating that is safe is rubbish as they can eat Yew berries as they do not digest the seed.

 

[Ystranc]

Wild service berries fall into that class of fruit as well, apparently safe if you spit out the pit but probably not worth the risk if you have alternatives.

 

[TLM]

Wild service berries fall into that class of fruit as well, apparently safe if you spit out the pit but probably not worth the risk if you have alternatives.

Been eating them Saskatoons for quite a while, still kicking maegeris. Actually the taste for the cultivars is ok.