Southold Town has issued a warning the public to the dangers of accepting RCA (recycled concrete aggregate) for use on farm lands and private properties.
It has come to the attention of town officials that several contractors have been offering local farms RCA, consisting of crushed roadways and building materials to be utilized instead of gravel for the reinforcement of agricultural paths and drives on farm lands, Supervisor Scott Russell said in a press release this afternoon. The danger comes from the source and safety of the RCA being offered.
“While the Town of Southold has notified the proper state and governmental agencies of our concerns, people should not accept RCA because we do not know where it is coming from,” Russell said.
Without independent verification as to the source, safety and content of the RCA local farmers accepting RCA could be unknowingly exposing their farmland to dangerous chemicals and toxicity contained in the materials, Russell said. Farmers could unknowingly fall victim to unscrupulous contractors trying to illegally dispose of toxic materials.
Local farms must be very cautious about accepting RCA and spreading it throughout their fields, the supervisor said. Recipients of such RCA need to keep diligent logs of the suppliers, the trucking companies brining it, and the source of the initial RCA, he said. People who have concerns about RCA they’ve received are encouraged to contact the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
“Farming is the life blood of our community,” Russell said. “The Town of Southold is dedicated to ensuring our farm fields are safe and our foods fresh for generations to come.”
