Farm plastics scheme makes recycling easy

Disposing of agrichemical containers and other farm plastics isn’t always front of mind – the traditional method on-farm has often been to burn or bury them in a quiet spot out the back.

The environmental damage this causes contributes significantly to a farm’s carbon footprint and should be considered as part of general farm management. Fortunately, recycling options are available, closer to home than you might think. Agrecovery, a product stewardship scheme focused on supporting the environment through recycling farm plastics, has been going for 15 years. Funded by over 100 brands from the agrichemical industry, Agrecovery recycles farm plastics that it collects from anywhere in the country. Agrecovery has programmes available for agrichemical containers and large drums and is expanding into other farm plastics, including bulk bags and small seed, feed and fertiliser bags.

The programme works on a circular economy:

1. Brands that package their agrichemical products in plastic pay levies to Agrecovery to be part of the scheme. 2. Once the product has been used, farmers and growers triple-rinse their high-density polyethylene (HDPE, plastic No. 2) containers and can drop them at one of Agrecovery’s fixed sites, including selected Farmlands stores. Agrecovery has over 150 sites that will accept containers 60L and under in size. Agrecovery also offers free on-property collections for small containers and large drums from participating brand owners (minimum numbers apply). No location is too remote.

3. HDPE plastics are then transported to a recycler in Auckland and turned into underground cable cover for

Wi-Fi cables and Tuff Board, a washable board used in everything from deer yards to horse floats. Farmlands Hautapu is a drop-off site for Agrecovery. Its Business Manager,

Raising awareness about the on-farm pick-up option will mean that larger drums aren’t missed.”

Farmlands Hautapu Business Manager Kim Hopping

Kim Hopping, is a big fan. “Agrecovery is an awesome scheme for those participating and is essential for better farm management and reducing plastic waste in the agriculture and horticulture sectors. “Our shareholders often stockpile their smaller drums and bring them in once or twice a year but raising awareness about the on-farm pick-up option will mean that larger drums aren’t missed and farmers can factor this into their usual on-farm maintenance.” Agrecovery Senior Operations Advisor Felicity Mitchell says everyone has a role to play in making the programme successful. “We need support and funding from manufacturers; drop off/pick-up locations from merchants; farmers and growers to prepare their plastic correctly for recycling; and support from the New Zealand Government through regulations.” Agrecovery can accept plastics only from brands that subscribe to the scheme and will collect them on-farm at no cost to the farmer. If the plastic is from a brand not involved with Agrecovery, it can still be collected but at the farmer’s expense. Felicity hopes that a single mandatory product stewardship scheme will be established by 2024 for all farm plastic waste streams so that New Zealand farmers and growers will have a free and convenient nationwide service. “We have started working with brands and sites to develop product stewardship schemes for small seed, feed and fertiliser bags. The collection and recycling of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and woven PP bags or ‘soft’ plastic will be released nationwide over the next 12-18 months. “We want to promote education around plastic in the agriculture industry here and change the mindset so that plastic isn’t seen as waste but as a valuable product in a circular economy. Everything we collect is at no cost to the farmer and we want to return the plastic collected to the manufacturers in a condition that would enable its re-use.”

With everyone working together, Agrecovery is a key part of on-farm maintenance and lowering carbon emissions through keeping plastics out of landfills or burn/bury piles at the back of the farm.

| Stephanus Roode of Freshmax and Felicity Mitchell of Agrecovery with some liners filled with seed, feed and fertiliser bags.

To find out more about minimum pick-up requirements and participating brands, see www.agrecovery.co.nz.