PAHs in Recycled-Paper Bedding

$20.00

Compostability, Health-Risks and Biodegradation

At a time before recycling-technologies were widely available, unused aged newsprint was in plentiful supply. Farmers started experimenting with it as alternative bedding material. Woods End was hired by MWMA to evaluate the risks and compostability after using newsprint as a bedding substitute on dairy farms. The report gives laboratory results of analyzing for PAH content (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons – some of which are known carcinogens) and then develops a composting process (blended with manure). Finally the study calculates real degradation of the PAHs over time, performs an OSHA-risk analysis regarding of use of newsprint within barns and composting. The greatest danger? “It wasn’t in the end PAH’s that were the problem, but dust level” according to the report. Also included in the study are tests of PAH content of dairy milk during the process and uptake studies of PAHs in plant-seedling trails following composting with manure. “This was a landmark study in the early years of paper recycling, and is pertinent today wherever questions about inks, paper and reuse arise”

Saddle stitch