What Are Food Processing Residuals (FPRs) and Why You Should Care:

 

FPR is what's leftover when agricultural commodities — including meat, fruit and vegetables — are processed for human or animal consumption. The term includes food residuals, food coproducts, food processing wastes, food processing sludges, or any other incidental material whose characteristics are derived from processing agricultural products. 

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Examples include: process wastewater from cleaning slaughter areas, rinsing carcasses, or conveying food materials; process wastewater treatment sludges; blood; bone; fruit and vegetable peels; seeds; shells; pits; cheese whey; off-specification food products; hides; hair; and feathers. Other substances that could be found in FPRs are pathogens, toxicity, heavy metals, odors, and foreign materials, etc.

 

Why does any of this matter?

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Because right now in East Coventry Township a landowner, Spring City Acres, LLC, wants to spread FPRs as well as store them in a waste pit. Plans for the waste pit indicate a subsurface pipe that crosses the municipality boundary from East Coventry township to East Vincent Township which may create extremely hazardous conditions to Stony Run as well as residents’ wells if a leak and contamination occur. There are townships currently in PA dealing with odor pollution and contaminated drinking water and in several cases

permanently condemned wells because of FPRs.

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“It is an awful smell,” Barrick said. “It’s almost like a dead animal smell. They dilute it with cow manure and it’s pretty bad when you have to dilute something with cow manure.”

 

FPR Articles:

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Contaminated wells and overpowering smells in Antrim Township

Residents asking for regulations​

DEP issues cease and desist order

 

What is Happening Right Now?

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Currently, East Coventry Township Board of Supervisors has been presented with recommendations, based on the DEP FPR manual, by the FPR Steering Committee. The ECT BOS agreed unanimously to have the Township Manager write up procedures along with an FPR consultant job description. At the January meeting, the BOS voted to advertise the amendment to the current FPR Ordinance. 

 

February 12th is an important date because the ECT BOS will meet to decide if they will approve implementation of the amendment to the FPR Ordinance. If approved, the revised ordinance will regulate FPRs to ensure that what is being spread or injected into the soil will not contaminate our land and water. If the amendment passes, the ECT BOS will advertise for an FPR consultant to support the township.

 

In other FPR news, State Rep Paul Friel met with PA's Secretary of Agriculture, Russel Redding, during the Farm Show, to discuss FPR efforts in our state.

 

How Can You Help?

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Show Your Support: Donate to East Vincent Advocacy

Show Up: Start attending the monthly BOS and EAC meetings.

Offer to help: There are volunteer opportunities available.

​Get the Word Out: Let your neighbors know what is happening.

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Check out East Coventry Advocacy's website to learn more about FPRs. 

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