NewsBits

Best Management Guidelines for Handling Agricultural Plastics in Preparation for Recycling are Available.  

Best management guidelines for handling agricultural plastics in preparation for recycling are now available as a full color, 8.5" x 14" poster. The guidelines were developed by the Recycling Ag Plastics Project (RAPP), a Cornell University-based initiative, and were printed in collaboration with the Northeast Waste Management Officials Association (NEWMOA). One version of the guidelines is targeted to dairy and livestock producers (dairy BMP poster.pdf) who use ag plastics primarily to wrap and cover forage. The other version is for horticultural growers (horticulture BMP poster.pdf), who use plastic as mulch film, irrigation drip tape, greenhouse and hoophouse covers, and more. The reverse side of the posters includes a set of criteria and standards for assessing the quality of used agricultural plastics as well as contact information for ag plastics recycling efforts in the Northeast US. Posters can be downloaded and freely distributed. Inquiries regarding hard copies should be directed to NEWMOA at agplastics@newmoa.org.