Safe management of farm waste

Recycling, collection and safe disposal services are a responsible way to deal with farm waste to reduce the negative effects on the environment and health risks for both people and animals.

Article supplied by DairyNZ

It is now easier to take care of farm waste with the available collection and recycling options.

Some farm waste can be repurposed or reused replacing harmful burning, burying or bulk storing waste. Find out waste management options for your farm and help look after the environment.

Plastics

Many plastics can be reused or recycled. Commonly used plastics include silage wrap, feed bags, bailing twine, plastic containers and drums.

Silage wrap: Recycling company Plasback sells liners for silage wrap online; once full, you can get the liners collected.

Plastic containers: It is free to recycle containers for more than 3,000 commonly used products.

Plastic drums: Agrecovery offers free collection from your property for drums and intermediate bulk containers (IBC) for a number of brands. Other brands can be collected for a fee.

Feedbags: Feedbags can be recycled through the Plasback recycling scheme.

Bailing twine: can also be recycled through the Plasback recycling scheme.

Agrichemicals

Many chemicals are free to dispose. Others may cost but are often subsidised. Agrichemicals commonly used on farm include herbicides, insecticides, fungicides and veterinary medicines.

Agrecovery specialises in the safe collection and disposal of unwanted or expired agrichemicals and their containers. Collections are held on a regional basis.

It is illegal to use or store any chemicals containing Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). DDT is the most well-known POP but there are a number of others including dieldrin, aldrin and lindane.

Dead stock

Using a collection service is the most common and easiest method for responsible stock disposal. Correctly constructed offal pits or compost bin are alternatives.

Some companies will charge a collection fee for the animal, others will pay for certain stock for example, dead calves (with specifications).

Offal pits should be well away from waterways, wetlands, bores, property boundaries and the farm dairy. They should also be shallow enough that groundwater will not enter.

Composting is an effective way to dispose of dead stock while creating a useful product and minimising the potential for groundwater contamination.

If managed well, composting can be low cost and relatively odour free.

Fertiliser and feed storage

Storing fertiliser and feed correctly reduces waste and protects your soil and waterways. Silage leachate is very acidic, contains high levels of nutrients and as a result is extremely toxic to waterways. Preparing and storing silage well is the best way to minimise leachate.

Storing agrichemicals correctly avoids leaks and spills and is important to keeping people, animals, the environment and your property safe.