Recycling Agricultural Plastics: New Report Encourages
Alternatives To Burning, Burying , Dumping
Lois Levitan
Environmental Risk
Analysis Program
Cornell University
“Recycling Agricultural
Plastics In New York State” is
a new 30-page report about re
cycling options for agricultur
al plastics. It addresses con
cerns about the environmental
health effects and other liabili
ties of burning, burying, or
dumping plastic wastes on
farms by describing off-farm
recycling and re-processing al
ternatives.
Plastics are being used in
creasingly in all sectors of ag-
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Available From Your Local Participating Dealer Below
PEOPLE’S SALES NORTHEAST r i u/rtMcini»
& SERVICE MILLER DIST k EQUIP C. J. WONSIDLER
Oakland Mills, PA 17076 EQUIPMENT CO. D pf IM P ‘ 197 5Trumbauersville Rd.
(717)463-2735 Stauffer Road mimiq Quakertown, PA 18951
ii/twifw West Clifford, PA 18413 /9l 51 Q*)s
PA 195° 5 (57Q) 222 . 9090 < 2ls > 536 - 1935
MEYERS (610)845-2911 (570)222-9020
IMPLEMENTS, INC. HELDS TAVI nD
400 North Antrim Way MANOR MOTORS IMPLEMENT STORE FOi .JKpS? iwr
Greencastle, PA 17225 3655 Rt. 553 Eighty Four, PA 15330 . ’ '
f 7171597 2178 Penn Run, PA (724)222-1154 1300 Washington Rd.
(717)597-2176 (721) 251 1753 Westminster, MD 21157
ECKROTH BROS. r7
m m ; weaver farm equipment
& SON LEBANON VALLEY RD #2, Box 24A (410) 751-1500
N Groffdale Rd IMPLEMENT CO. New Rl "99oid. pa 17960
Leola, PA 17540 700 E. Linden St. (570) 943-2131
(717) 656-2321 Richland. PA 17087 4910 Kernsville Rd.
' 1 (717) 866*7518 Orefield, PA 18069
(610) 366-2095
’’V i j|yii ja iSL
riculture. Plastic products are
being substituted for the long
er lasting materials previously
used because they often cost
less and improve production
efficiency (e.g., plastic silage
bags result in better feed qual
ity).
However, as with many
throwaway products, disposal
is a problem. Surveys indicate
that more than half the agri
cultural plastics in New York
State are disposed of by open
burning, which releases high
levels of polluting emissions.
Most of the remainder is
buried or dumped on-farm.
Emissions from open burning
are much greater than from
controlled incineration and
these emissions pose risks to
human health.
“Recycling Agricultural
Plastics In New York State”
identifies major uses of plas
tics on New York State farms,
recycling technologies that are
viable or that may be realistic
in the near future, technical
and infrastructural issues, and
processes, agencies, and indi
viduals involved. It addresses
concerns of the agricultural,
environmental protection,
public health, and economic
development communities.
The report was written by
*x
»4 . *
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, May 17, 2003, Grower & Marketer-E9
Lois Levitan and Ana Barros
of Cornell University’s Envi
ronmental Risk Analysis Pro
gram. The full report, a one
page executive summary, a
bibliography with hyperlinks
to full text of all references,
and a photo gallery of agricul
Ponds Meet Small Farm Needs
(Continued from Page E 8)
recreational purposes. This is
a sound practice, but has lia
bility and maintenance obliga
tions to consider.
Generally, pond owners
must eliminate and warn
against hazards around a
pond. This might include
fencing off pond edges, sup
plying rescue devices, and es
tablishing regular hours and
Lancaster Farming
Check out our Website!
www.lancasterfarmina.com
Past, Claan and
I SJSf'/Utrtefrffi; cf.
Land Pride Flail Mowers are designed to fulfill a variety of
needs from grass cutting to shredding prunings.
• Cutting widths of 60” - 80”
• Cutting heights from 0” -6”
• Reverse rotor rotation
• Fine cut knives on 20 & 30 Series
• Hammers on 40 Series
Detlan Hines Equipment Stoltzfus
Equipment, Inc. RT. 220, Belwood, pa Farm Service
141 East Mam St. 814-742-8171 Cochranville, PA
Silverdale, PA 18962
215-257-5177
Thomas L. Dunlap
Rt. 220, Mam St Exit
Jersey Shore, PA 17740
570-398-1391
Eckroth Bros
Farm Equip.
Rd 2, Box 24A
New Rmgold, PA 17960
570-943-2131
Eckroth
Equipment Co
4910 Kernsville Rd
Orefield, PA 18069
610-366-2095
tural plastic uses and recy
cling equipment is posted to
the Website of the Cornell En
vironmental Risk Analysis
Program: http://
www.cfe.cornell.edu/erap/
C&ER, or call (607) 255-4765
to order a print copy.
rules of access. Recreational
ponds used for income should
be dedicated solely to that
purpose and thus are not
available for agriculture uses.
You can access additional
pond management topics on
line at http://
pond.dnr.comell.edu. For in
formation on a variety of
small farm topics, visit Cor
nell’s Small Farms Website at
www.smallfarms.comell.edu.
Pennsylvania
Keller Brothers
R 7 Box 405
Lebanon, PA 17042
717-949-6501
and
1950 Fruitville Pike
Lancaster, PA 17601
717-569-2500
Lehigh Ag
Equipment, Inc.
6670 Ruppsville Rd.,
Allentown, PA 18106
610-398-2553
800-779-3616
Pikeville
Equipment Inc.
RD 2, Oysterdale Road
Oley, PA 19547
610-927-6277
610-593-2407
Stouffer Bros Inc.
1066 Lincoln Way West
Chambersburg, PA 17201
717-263-8424
Valley AgTurf
817 Tobias Road
Halifax, PA 17032
717-362-3132
Rodio Tractor Sales
North White Horse Pike
Hammonton, N.J 08037
609-561-0141
Warren County
Service Center
228 Route 94,
Blairtown, N.J
908-362-6916