Decontamination of old comb

[Bill Murray]

So, here is the question. Can you render old comb and get the contaminants out?

I appreciate all input.

I guess this is what Im thinking. Why will the bees accept wax rendered from contaminated comb, after rendering if its still contaminated?

[Terri Yaki]

Contaminated with what?

[The15thMember]

It depends on what it is contaminated with, I'd imagine.  And I expect that if the contaminant is in low enough quantity, the bees won't notice or care, but that doesn't necessarily mean it won't have sublethal effects on them or the brood. 

[Michael Bush]

Fluvalinate (Apistan) and Cumaphos (CheckMite) break down in ultraviolet light.  So do a lot of (but not all) other pesticides.

[Bill Murray]

That was what I was looking for, thank you Michael.

[BeeMaster2]

So using a solar wax melter as the first step in recovering the wax is a really good thing.
Thanks Michael.
Jim Altmiller

[Michael Bush]

>So using a solar wax melter as the first step in recovering the wax is a really good thing.

Yes. 

[Ben Framed]

Good to know Michale, thanks!

[NigelP]

Glass absorbs a lot of UV light (the type hat gives you a sunburn (UVB). You cannot get a suntan through glass.
It does however let through some of UVA, so solar wax melters (with glass) may not be as good at ridding impurities in wax as full spectrum UV light.

[Michael Bush]

When I was wax dipping PermaComb plastic combs I had a lot of wax that ended up in a thin layer on some plywood.  The sun would bleach it white in a short amount of time.  Anything that makes a thin layer and exposes it to the sun should make a difference.

[NigelP]

Yes, we do something similar to produce white beeswax. Cheese grater and lots of unfiltered sun and frequent turning.