• Plastic technologies
  • Drip irrigation
  • High tunnels
  • Low tunnels
  • Mulches
  • Row covers

• Production details
  • Marketing of crops
  • Pest management
  • Post harvest
  • Stand establishment
  • Wind breaks

• Recycling and combustion
  • Recycling
    • Rigid plastic items
    • Film plastic items
    • Organizations
    • Activities elsewhere
  • High-temperature combustion
    • Penn State activities
      • Plastofuel
      • GR Technologies
      • Further information
• Photos
• Upcoming events

In 2003, William Bang, CEO of GR Technologies Company, Ltd. of Seoul, Korea, visited Penn State. A memorandum of agreement was formed, and in 2004 the boiler system shown was installed at Penn State’s Horticulture Research Farm. Plans called for the unit to heat a nearby high tunnel greenhouse, and to be fully instrumented to monitor performance.


In May, 2005 and again in November, 2007, the unit was tested for air emissions by an independent testing company. These tests conformed to US Environmental Protection Agency test methods. The tests were funded by the American Plastics Council, now called the American Chemistry Council. Results of the 2005 tests are summarized below.

2005 Emissions Testing Stack testing conforming to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards were conducted by an independent U.S. testing company in May 2005, comparing the LDPE (#4) Korean pellets with granulated HDPE (#2) discarded barrels. Three main groups of pollutants were analyzed:  gases (sulfur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, carbon monoxide)  particulate matter  dioxins/furans Test results proved that this is an extremely clean burning system in all three groups. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has reviewed the results, noting that combustion units with a heat input rating of 2.5 million Btu / hr. or less are exempt from the plan approval and operating permit requirements. This means the burner and associated boiler can be marketed in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania now and without restraint. However, sites will still have to comply with the DEP opacity regulation, Section 123.41. According to the DEP standard, opacity, or visible air contaminants, cannot be equal or greater than 20 percent for a period or periods aggregating more than 3 minutes in any 1 hour, or greater than 60 percent at any time. For this extremely clean burning system, the opacity regulation testing will most likely not be an issue, hopefully merely a formality.

In April, 2006, due to funding matters, work on the Horticulture Research Farm project was curtailed until further notice. For details on the plastic-derived fuel burner and boiler, we suggest you contact the company directly:

Mr. William Bang
GR Technologies Company, Ltd., 201
Samsung Anytel Building, 837-17
Yeoksam-dong,Kangnamgu
Seoul,135-937, Korea
Ph: 82-2-3452.9159
Mobile: 82-11, 9956-1010
Fx: 82-2-3452.2029
Email: William Bang (william@highgr.com)

GR Boilers, LLC

Established in 2006 in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, GR Boilers is a subsidiary of GR Technologies Company, Ltd. This company plans to commercialize the plastic-derived fuel combustion system (described above) and fuel supply in the USA. There is a demonstration burner and boiler installed at Iannetti’s Garden Center near Pittsburgh, shown below.

Questions regarding the setup at Iannetti’s should be directed to:

Mr. John J. Shea, Jr.
Extension Associate - Horticulture
Cooperative Extension in Allegheny County
The Pennsylvania State University
400 North Lexington Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15208
Ph: 412.473.2540
Fx: 412.473.2768

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