ABSTRACT

The J.G. Boswell Company operates a unique, proprietary designed, warehousing facility for baled Pima cotton. An integral part of this storage facility is the bale packaging material - a specially formulated linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) film bagging. After the cotton is ginned on a roller gin, the naked bale is inserted into the LLDPE film bag and hermetically sealed. The protected bales are then placed in open storage.

The recommended storage conditions state that relative humidity in excess of 50% should be avoided, since high humidity conditions have been documented to have an adverse effect on the maintenance of cotton fiber quality during storage. Limited published research information is available concerning the effects of long term storage on cotton fiber, and no published information exists on the relative humidity of the interstitial area of hermetically sealed LLDPE film wrapped cotton bales.

Research was conducted to determine the relative humidity of the interstitial space of a cotton bale wrapped with LLDPE film bagging, and to determine if a constant low relative humidity is maintained regardless of outside ambient air conditions. This research demonstrated that even though the ambient temperature (43°F to 74°F) and relative humidity (44% to 93%) varied significantly, the relative humidity of the interstitial environment remained constant and low (10% or less relative humidity). In addition, anecdotal evidence collected to date by the J.G. Boswell Company indicates that no fiber damage has been incurred when the hermetically sealed, specially formulated LLDPE film bagging is utilized. Therefore, this design and operation for cotton warehousing is as protective of baled cotton as other cotton warehouse storage facilities currently insured in CCC licensed warehouses.