Outreach

Recycling Ag Plastics Project (RAPP)

Keywords

Short Description

RAPP promotes life-cycle stewardship of agricultural plastics by developing infrastructure and markets for waste film and rigid plastics.

Description

The Recycling Ag Plastics Project (RAPP) promotes life-cycle stewardship of the plastic products and packaging that have become integral to all aspects of farming: Plastic films are used to wrap forage, to cover greenhouses, and to mulch fields of vegetables and soft fruits. Most nursery containers are made of plastic, as are the containers used for pesticides and dairy sanitizers. Irrigation and maple tubing are plastic. The list goes on. However, farmers have not had good options for disposing of used plastic. Much of it has been burned in open fires, generating dioxins and other pollutants, or dumped in some out of the way place on-the-farm. Some plastic is buried in landfills, which wastes this valuable, energy-rich resource. The Recycling Ag Plastics Project is working to change these patterns by developing recycling infrastructure and markets for dairy, livestock and horticultural plastics. Recycling converts scrap into new products and, possibly, into new plastic monomers. RAPP is a collaboration of Cornell University with agriculture producers and agricultural, environmental, economic development and solid waste/recycling agencies, organizations and businesses.

Contact Information

E-mail

envrisk@cornell.edu

Phone

(607) 255-4765

Mailing Address

  • 311 Kennedy Hall
  • Cornell University
  • Ithaca, NY 14853 (Tompkins)

URL

http://environmentalrisk.cornell.edu/AgPlasti...

Program Details

College

  • College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
  • Cornell Cooperative Extension

Department

  • Department of Communication

Center/Institute/Unit

Information For

  • Businesses and Professionals
  • General Public

Topics

  • Learning and Teaching: In School and Out
  • Agriculture
  • Living Environment
  • Sustainability
  • Agriculture
  • Water and Waste
  • Career, Technical and Consumer Education
  • Business and Economic Development
  • Energy and Environment
  • Pollution
  • Waste Management
  • Agriculture
  • Horticulture
  • Sustainable Living

Types of Programs

  • Events, Exhibits, and Visits
  • Consulting and Expertise Brokering
  • Community Service and Volunteerism
  • Publications

Service Area

  • New York State-All

Service Providers

  • Faculty
  • Staff
  • Other

Fee Structure

This program does not have a fee.

Related Cornell Programs

Related Resources

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