These weevils have been effective in reducing the severity of musk thistle infestations in other states when other control measures are managed to allow the weevils to reproduce. Impact Information about thistle control and the musk thistle weevils was presented at four field days in 1998 to an audience of 188 producers. Established populations of weevils have been confirmed in seven north Arkansas counties. An educational effort is underway to help producers identify musk thistles and to determine if the weevils exist on their farms. Many manufacturers are assuming responsibility for the environmental impact of not only manufacturing processes but the disposal of discarded products.
Biodegradable materials extend the useful life of landfills.
Manufacturers need test methods to determine biodegradability of materials, and waste management professionals and policy-makers need the same information. Action Tencel is a cellulosic fiber produced by the non-polluting solvent spun process. The manufacturing process is environmentally friendly, and the manufacturer wanted to know how it compares to other fabrics for biodegradability in landfills. Tencel, cotton and rayon fabric specimens were evaluated after burial under controlled conditions in soils with either a high or low pH. All fabrics were completely degraded after 26 weeks in a Calloway silt loam soil with a pH of 7.5 and after 52 weeks in a red clay with a pH of 4.8. The procedure used in this test provides an economical, reliable and realistic measure of biodegradability of materials in landfills.