Isn't carbon dating not limited to once living material, wood and such? It has been some time I dived into this complex stuff.
As for Gen 1 being literal or allegory I think what matters is how the ancients understood that. How would they for instance have reasoned that it had been morning and evening in the first 3 days while the sun and moon weren't created yet? If the Gen 1 demands a literal interpretation that surely is a contradiction and it's unlikely they would not have noticed. There are more pointers that hint to an allegory. The framework of Gen 1 clearly refers to repetitive OT theme: Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. God working 6 days and then He needed a rest? That's not real. Needless to say that Gen 1 (Elohim) being an allegory has nothing to do with Genesis 2-3 (Yahweh) being an allegory or literal and historical event.
Yes, living matter that can uptake C14 from the environment. But the half-life limits the useful distance in time. So we can't date coal deposits from Carboniferous time.
Not directed at you, just the conversation in general. Forums have a lot of YEC going on in them. The conservative authors that I've picked up that seminaries and Bible Colleges require for reading are not so YEC lopsided. There's some. That's all I'm saying. To any. If anyone thinks that is THE Evangelical view they need to get out of forums and read books more.