Prevention of pollution by foreign substances (ntrm) and preparation of dry tobacco packages.

 The acronym NTRM (Non Tobacco Related Material) is used to identify materials other than tobacco, i.e. all foreign substances such as: paper, string, metals, stones, tobacco stalks and buds, plastics, polystyrene, wood, grass, weeds, oils, etc... Producing tobacco without NTRM is an important aspect of the GAP that starts from the farm with the elimination and removal of NTRM sources.

Guiding principles and practices

• training and awareness-raising of personnel employed in the production, processing and marketing cycle, on the importance of clean and NTRM-free tobacco;
• removal of all forms of NTRM from the cultivation, green and dry tobacco processing, curing, sorting and storage areas;
• careful control of all machinery and equipment, eliminating potential risk elements: replacement of old bands, replacement of damaged conveyor belts, oil leaks,
• etc.;weed control;
• monitoring and control of farmers' facilities during the production cycle by dedicated TTI personnel, participating in inspections and drafting a checklist for assessing contamination risks.

NTRM contamination risk control lists include:

• focusing on the individual phases of the production cycle (e.g. production area, greenhouse, field, harvest, care, sorting, pressing, storage, etc.);
• specific items to be checked for each production phase;
• inspection elements throughout the management of tobacco production and processing areas, facilities, equipment, and warehouses;
• cleanliness and order of all company areas in general;
• constant review of all materials and products used in tobacco production, handling, curing, and storage.

The preparation of tobacco must be carried out with rigor and a sense of responsibility.

• work areas must be kept clean;

• it is forbidden to eat, drink, or smoke in areas where tobacco is processed;

• prevent access by animals, especially birds;

• storage warehouses must be clean, waterproof and accessible only to workers;

• use sorting tapes to remove shoots, stalks, herbs, completely green and black tobacco leaves and in any case anything that is not technically usable as tobacco. The correct use of sorting tapes is reported in Annex 3;

• for the product to be preserved, humidity must not exceed 16%: pay attention to the so-called “fat” ribs which encourage tobacco rotting and in particular to re-vinification;

•  the tobacco must be packaged in homogeneous packages weighing 90-120 kg for the first harvest, 100-120 kg for subsequent harvests and filled to the entire volume of the box.

NB

• during the collection, packages with foreign substances will be depreciated;

• if the presence of plastics, iron, etc. is found, the tobacco packages will be rejected;

• traceability allows to trace the grower, even during processing;

• those responsible for processing, during company visits, are obliged to report cases of non-compliance.

Origin of foreign substances found in dry tobacco
Particular importance is given to synthetic foreign substances that are found in tobacco during processing. These substances have been separated by TTI and classified by ORIGIN as follows:

1. from tobacco fields: bottles, glasses, cartridges, pieces of hose, plastic bags, gloves, polystyrene, food wrappers, sweet wrappers, cigarette packets, etc.;
   

2. from operating machines (harvesters, facilitators, treatments, transport trolleys, etc.): pieces of rubber from harvesting organs, plastic ties, pieces of conveyor belts, leaves stained by hydraulic oil, electrical tape, plastic cords, electric wires, paint, etc.;
   

3. from machines for processing and loading greenery: electrical tape, plastic cords, electric wires, plastic ties, etc.;
   

4. from curing ovens: pieces of rubber, polyurethane, polyester, silicone, paint, plastic ties;
   

5. from sorting belts: plastic ties, pieces of conveyor belts, electrical tape, plastic cords, electric wires and paint;
   

6. from personnel involved in tobacco processing and in the maintenance of machinery and equipment: cigarette butts, food wrappers, sweets, cigarette packets, paper tissues and personal objects (gloves, lighters, cell phones, pens, etc.).
   
   

7. The treatment centres must have containers for separate waste collection and a smoking area.

CARTON MANAGEMENT

Correct management of cartons is essential to preserve and maintain the integrity of packaged tobacco. To avoid quality losses due to poor management of the packaging, handling and storage phases, it is important to pay close attention to the following points:

• INTEGRITY OF THE BOXES: broken boxes, boxes stained with oil or other stains (paint, solvents, grease) must not be used. Remove any labels that are not perfectly glued or fixed with iron pins;
  

• TOBACCO HUMIDITY: pay attention to the humidity of the tobacco during the churning phase. Pasty tobaccos facilitate heating processes with the production of mold, which causes a significant loss of value. Tobaccos that are too dry facilitate the frasamization of the product during the pressing phase; they also prevent correct filling and pressing in the box;
  

• FILLING AND WEIGHT: fill the boxes uniformly with multiple pressings in order to obtain a homogeneous density and up to the upper edge of the box, avoiding empty areas. Modulate the weight according to the leaf crown, taking into account that the first harvest must contain a quantity of tobacco between 90 and 110 kg, those of the other crowns between 100 and 120 kg. Avoid excessive loads that change the original shape of the box causing it to break;
  

• HANDLING AND LOADING: pay close attention to the handling of tobacco and absolutely avoid during this phase breaking the boxes with the equipment used such as tongs, forks, shovels. The boxes that break must be replaced immediately together with the tags. Loading onto trailers or trucks must be done with particular attention respecting the capacity of the vehicle used. The square shape of the box is often ruined by the operator's insistence in trying to load a higher number of boxes. The managers of the cooperative storage centers and the appraisal warehouse in the case of non-compliant loads and with broken, excessively damaged and mistreated boxes may not authorize unloading and send the product back.
  

• STOWAGE: must be carried out in such a way as to guarantee maximum safety. Damaged boxes that may compromise correct stowage must be replaced.