study to recycle gricultural plastics … assessment –“test bale ... per year for full service,...
TRANSCRIPT
STUDY TO RECYCLE
AGRICULTURAL PLASTICS IN
NEW MEXICO
Funded by the NMED: RAID Grant in
Partnership with Estancia Valley SWA
Sarah Pierpont
Executive Director, NMRC
505-603-0558
1
Agricultural Plastic Recycling in NM
2
• Identify Composition of Ag Plastic in NM
• Determine Quantities of Ag Plastic
• Identify Challenges to Recycling
• Assess Feasibility
• Research Potential End Markets
3
Farms in New Mexico
Source: USDA 2012 Census of Agriculture
• 24,721 farms and ranches in
NM, an 18% increase from the
previous census in 2007
• 43,200,000 acres of
farm/ranch-land in NM (67,500
square miles NM is 121,697
square miles)
• Annual Market Value of
Agricultural products sold $2.5
billion
• Nearly half of that is from dairy
sales
• Approx 157 dairy farms
• $1.22 billion in sales
Areas with highest percentage of milk cows as
percent of all cattle
4
Feeding NM’s Dairy Cows is Big Business
5
• One milk-producing cow consumes 50-90 lbs of silage per day
• 7500-13500 TONS of silage consumed in NM per day
6
Dairy Silage • Plastic film is used to create an anaerobic
environment to ferment silage for dairy cow feed
• Silage sheets are 5mm thick and made of co-
extruded low density polyethylene (LDPE) with a small % of Linear LDPE (LLDPE)
added for flexibility• Currently many farmers are burying the
material on their property or paying to take it
to the landfill
Acres of Corn Silage or Greenchop Harvested as
a Percent of Total Acres of Harvested Crops
7
• 75,000 harvested acres of silage production in NM, yields of 23-32
tons/acre = 1,725,000 tons of silage per year
• 6.2 square feet of silage film used
per ton• 10.7 million square feet of
silage film used in NM annually = 350,000 lbs of film,
conservative estimate
Volume Estimate of Silage in NM
8
• Nationally estimate 4-5 lbs of agricultural plastic film per cow per year = would equal 1.2 million lbs of film in New Mexico
• Difference could be how silage is “put-up” differently in each state
“Hay Wraps” in Wisconsin Bunker Cover Silage pile – used in NM
9
Livestock Nutritional Supplements• Used to provide additional nutrients to
dairy cattle, beef cattle, horses, sheep and goats during winter months (Sept –
May)
• Colored HDPE tubs• An average a ranch with 65 beef cows
and 4 horses uses about 50 tubs per year• 1.54 million cows, sheep and goats in NM
= approximately 1.1 million tubs per year
in NM (not including horses) • Currently reused on site or sent to landfill
10
Pesticide and Fertilizer Concentrates• Currently triple rinsed and landfilled
• HDPE plastic (primarily clear)• Took 1850 acre farm about 10 years
to fill the container in photo.
• Average of 1 jug per 10 acres per year = 4.32 million HDPE jugs in NM
per year
11
Drip Irrigation Tubing (+OCC & Organics!)• Greenhouse tubbing is cleaner than field
tubbing• Seasonal switch outs per year (Nov/Dec
& June/July)
• Consists of polyethylene tubes
Challenges
12
• Dirty• Contaminants (tires, silage, different
films)• Low value plastic
• Lack of collection efficiencies
• Potentially toxic containers from pesticides/fertilizers
• Hard to consolidated• Labor expenses to make bales
• Material collection
Challenges – National Sword 2017
13
• Updated version of China’s custom
policies, Green Fence from 2013
• Launched by China’s General
Administration of Customs (GAC)
• Targets imported waste, including
scrap plastics and electronics.
• The enforcement campaign is a
reflection of the Chinese
government’s plan to crack down
on recycling operations
which don’t have the proper controls and facilities and focuses on materials causing severe pollution because of improper recycling at ill-equipped facilities.
• The campaign is set to run for one year, however the policy may become the new standard
Challenges – National Sword 2017
14
• Custom checks on all imported materials – quadrupling time btwn
purchase and consumption of recyclable materials
• Returned shipments to country of
origin (demurrage fees, etc)• Officials conducting inspections of
processing factories and have reportedly suspended operations
at facilities using improper water-
treatment processes.
Effects
• Many forwarding agents have suspended their operations due to the action.• Exposed smuggling activities that have led to dozens of arrests and confiscation
of over 22,000 tons of material. • China has been able to catch criminal activity that was being disguised through
imported waste.
• In NM 17% decrease in market price for natural HDPE from April to May of 2017
Feasibility Assessment – “Test Bale”
15
16
Bale No. Full Bale? Weight (lbs)Baled Cubic
Yards
1 Yes 2,200 1.16
2 Yes 2,160 1.16
3 No 840 0.58
Totals 5,200 2.89
Volume reduction through baling is about a 10:1 ratio (i.e., approx 30 cubic yards loose was reduced to approx 2.9 cubic yards baled)
Feasibility Assessment – “Test Bale”
17
Summary:• 3 bales were made from the plastic
with the Estancia Valley Solid Waste Authority’s manual horizontal bailer.
Each full bale took 60 minutes to
make with two staff members• A typical single-stream recyclable
bale takes approximately 10 minutes to make and weighs 1,200 pounds
Feasibility Assessment – “Test Bale”
• A typical cardboard bale takes approximately 20 minutes to make and weighs 1,200 pounds
• Estimated costs to process one 30 yard roll off container for test bale - $150 in labor + $46 in transportation (40 miles roundtrip) = $196 for the 3 test bales =
$75.38 per ton
18
Feasibility Assessment – “Test Bale”
• The plastic fed into the baler in an acceptable manner. However, a large
time saving would be realized if the plastic was rolled into approximate 3 ft
diameter by 5 ft long rolls
• Different types of plastic sheeting cannot be economically separated at the landfill.
If end-markets require plastic separation, it must be done at the source and put
into separate containers.
Labor (2 staff for 3 hours)
Transportation (40 miles roundtrip) Total
Processing Cost Per
Ton
Test Bale $ 150.00 $ 46.00 $ 196.00 $ 75.38
Better Prepared at Source $ 75.00 $ 46.00 $ 121.00 $ 46.54
19
20
Possible End-Markets – Silage Film
• Test bale taken to Friedman Recycling
• Revolution Plastics (Delta Plastics)
• Offers free agricultural and silage plastic recycling
with free on-farm collection in Minnesota, Wisconsin
and California
• NM would need to provide 3-5 million tons of plastic
per year for full service, smaller volumes for partial
service
• Possible regional partnership?
21
Thousands of farmers and applicators nationwide participate in a free recycling programs. The Ag Container Recycling Council is fully funded by their member
companies and affiliates that formulate, produce, package and distribute crop protection and other pesticide products.
Possible End-Markets – HDPE
Fertilizer/Pesticide Containers
22
Possible End-Markets – HDPE
Fertilizer/Pesticide Containers
Eligible Containers:• Rigid high density polyethylene (HDPE), 55 gallons and
smaller, that previously held EPA registered products utilized in Crop Protection, Specialty Pesticides and
Fertilizers and Pest Control Operators/Structural Pest
Control
Ineligible Containers:• Any container constructed of anything other than HDPE,
rotationally molded containers, mini-bulk, intermediate bulk containers (IBC), totes, and
• All containers that previously held products utilized in the
Consumer Home & Garden, Pest Control and Swimming Pool Maintenance markets
23
Acceptable Not Acceptable
Container, thread, and lip are clean
Dried formulation on container
Handle and neck stained but clean
Dried formulation on thread
Inside stained but rinsed clean
Bottom is caked with dried residue
Inside is clean and dry Liquid residue in container
Possible End-Markets – HDPE
Fertilizer/Pesticide Containers
24
As of March 22, 2017, End Use Products deemed acceptable are:
•Agriculture drain pipe
•Highway sign posts
•Highway and agricultural fence posts•Underground utility conduit
•Wire and cable spool (reel) flanges•Agro chemical composite IBC platforms
•Industrial pallets for ag chemical and seed
packaging•Rebar chairs
•Landscape edging
Possible End-Markets – HDPE
Fertilizer/Pesticide Containers
25
Richard Marburger US Ag Recycling
979-505-7750 [email protected]
How can NM Farmers & Ranchers Participate?
HDPE Fertilizer/Pesticide Containers
26
• HDPE #2 plastic, can be recycled with most curbside and drop off recycling
program in NM • Considerations – accommodate for
larger sized containers (bigger than a
laundry detergent bottle)• Educate people that they can be
recycled• Potential for reuse – set up on site
reuse area
Possible End-Markets – Livestock Nutritional
Supplement Containers
Agricultural Plastic Recycling in NM
27
• Public/Private Partnership
• Hub & Spoke Regional Collections
• Product Stewardship
• Utilization of Existing Recycling Opportunities
• Education & Outreach
• Development of Local End Markets