MAPLE PRODUCERS: RECYCLE OLD TUBING INTO SOMETHING NEW, 2013
The Recycling Agricultural Plastics Project (RAPP) is working with NBF Plastics in Auburn NY to process deliveries of used maple tubing for recycling!
Producers can now deliver used tubing to the NBF facility at any time of year, whenever your are ready to recycle. NBF Plastics is incorporating the used tubing into a plastic plywood substitute.
Simply follow a few preparatory steps* and send NBF Plastics an RSVP** to let them know how much material to expect, when you plan to deliver, and how they can contact you.
*Basic guidelines to prepare tubing for recycling:
- Coil long lengths into loops about 3′ in diameter, keeping the coils light enough to lift.
- Tie coils with baling twine, duct tape, dropline or a strip of plastic film. Do not use baler wire or other metal.
- Put short lengths of tubing into a large plastic bag (‘tote’) or Gaylord box.
- OK to leave plastic fittings and spouts, etc., but remove any metal connectors, clasps, supporting wires, etc.
- Discard PVC tubing and fittings, which RAPP cannot recycle (identify PVC with a simple sink-float test: PVC sinks while LDPE tubing floats in water). Label the coils with your name and contact info.
*Find full guidelines for recycling maple tubing on Recycling Agricultural Plastics Project (RAPP) Facebook page
If an individual producer or group of producers in NYS amass at least 8,000 lbs of recyclable tubing at one site, NBF Plastics and RAPP will work together to arrange for pickup. Labor and equipment to load the truck must be provided. RAPP encourages local maple producer groups to pool their used tubing in order to reach this threshold for pickup (as well as to minimize the time and cost of deliveries).
If your tubing won’t be ready to recycle until next winter, bring it to your regional maple producer meeting. Be sure to send in the **RSVP prior to the regional meeting so trucking arrangements can be made.
Questions? Contact RAPP at <agplasticsrecycling@cornell.edu> or call 607-216-7242 to reach Nate Leonard, NYS RAPP Field Coordinator.
** RSVP for Recycling Maple Tubing
Send the completed RSVP form by email to RSVP@nbfplastics.biz or call NBF Plastics at 877-624-2638 with the requested information.
Name(s) _____________________________________________________________
Phone number(s) ______________________________________________________
Email address(es) _____________________________________________________
Location where the coils and/or boxes/bags of tubing will be gathered for recycling:
Street ______________________________________________________________
City/Town ___________________________________________________________
County ___________________________________ Zip Code __________________
Quantity ready for recycling
(specify by length of tubing, number of coils and totes, and/or by weight, etc.):
____________________________________________________________________
Proposed delivery/pickup date ___________________________________________
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Lois Levitan, PhD, Program Leader
Recycling Agricultural Plastics Project (RAPP)
Environmental Risk Analysis Program (ERAP)
Department of Communication
311 Kennedy Hall, Cornell University
Ithaca, New York USA 14853-4303
Phone: 607-255-4765 Fax: 607-254-1322
Email: LCL3@cornell.edu
envrisk@cornell.edu
agplasticsrecycling@cornell.edu
Web: http://environmentalrisk.cornell.edu