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Agrecovery launches silage wrap recycling programme in New Zealand
Media Release 6th May 2009
Agrecovery has recently launched a Silage Wrap Recycling programme in New Zealand in an effort to recover the estimated 4,000 tonnes of baled silage wrap used nationwide every year.
Agrecovery Foundation, a not-for-profit charitable trust which governs the Agrecovery rural recycling programme, has successfully operated a recycling programme for agrichemical and animal health plastic containers since April 2007.
“Adding silage wrap recovery is a natural progression for Agrecovery,” said Bruce Emerson, Director of 3R Group, Programme Managers for Agrecovery. “Farmers have been actively encouraging us to provide a solution that was user friendly, cost efficient and accessible nationwide.”
Recent research has shown that an estimated 320,000 kilometres of wrap is used each year in New Zealand – enough to circle the world 8 times. Recent advances in processing heavily contaminated plastics means that the recycling industry now sees agricultural films as a useful and viable raw material and as such, it should no longer be viewed simply as farm waste to be burned and buried.
“It is widely acknowledged that wrap left lying around on-farm is a potential hazard and it contaminates water ways, stock and the general farm environment,” Mr Emerson said.
“For New Zealand to maintain its “clean-green” image, vital to our primary export sectors, we need to do more than we currently are to address the appropriate handling and disposal options of on-farm plastics.
The programme is a simple one, allowing farmers to purchase a packet of wrap recycling bags from most rural retailers or direct from Agrecovery (by phone or online). Each packet of wrap bags contains 5 bags, enough to recycle approximately 60 wraps.
“There are no hidden costs. All costs, including collection, are contained within the bag price,” said Mr Emerson. “The bags are about the size of a household wheelie bin making it easy for individuals to handle without the need for machinery.”
“For about $1 per bale wrap farmers can protect their land and the environment.”
Hawke’s Bay sheep and cattle farmer Jim Spall has been farming for over 20 years and says that in the last decade, with baleage use becoming more widespread, the disposal of silage wrap has proved to be a persistent and increasingly pressing issue.
“It creates a mass of plastic, and it’s been hard to figure out what to do with it.
“The wrap recycling programme now means farmers have an environmentally-friendly option to get rid of this plastic.
“With Agrecovery providing such a simple, cost effective system for wrap, farmers have no excuses for burning or dumping it on farm.”
The Agrecovery programme has a strong governance structure with its trustees representing Fonterra, Federated Farmers, HortNZ, Environment Waikato (for local government) and Agcarm (NZ Association for Animal Health and Crop Protection). It was established by the primary sector to address “on-farm” waste issues.
The wrap programme joins the agrichemical container recycling programme which started in April 2007. These programmes will shortly be joined by a Chemical retraction programme which is planned to start in July 2009.
You can visit Agrecovery at the NZ National Agricultural Fieldays Premier Feature at Mystery Creek 10-13th June 2009 - site M30.
About Agrecovery
The Agrecovery Foundation is a not-for-profit charitable trust which owns and governs the Agrecovery programme. The programme was developed through funding by farmer and grower groups, local government, agrichemical industry and central government.
Every year, New Zealanders dispose of millions of plastic agrichemical and animal health containers, as well as over 4000 tonnes of silage wrap. Agrecovery provides an environmentally sustainable solution for the recovery of on-farm plastic, including plastic containers and silage wrap.
All plastic containers collected are shredded, reprocessed and supplied to a New Zealand based approved processor to use as a raw material. Silage wrap will also be processed in New Zealand.
For further information please contact the Agrecovery Programme Managers
Bruce Emerson Director: 3R Group Ltd 0800 AGRECOVERY
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Founded in 1975, LeaderBrand is recognised as one of New Zealand’s largest and most diversified horticultural and fresh food businesses.
With farms located in Gisborne and Canterbury, LeaderBrand is the largest grower, packer, and shipper of buttercup squash (Kabocha) in the world, and the largest grower, packer, and shipper of broccoli, lettuce and fresh sweetcorn in New Zealand. They are also one of the largest growers of 'Gisborne Chardonnay' and Pinot Gris grapes.
“The highly discerning Japanese market is a large scale export customer and the protocols they require are applied to all LeaderBrand produce,” explains the company’s Annual Crop Manager Richard Burke (pictured).
“We’re certified with NZGAP and have a certified HACCP-based food safety programme. We also conduct regular random residue tests and only use certified non-GMO seed stocks.”
Customers can trace the origin of a delivery directly to the paddock it was grown in, and view online documentation relating to the planting, crop management and harvesting of the produce in that paddock, plus subsequent storage, packing and shipping to the customer.
“We grow over 3,000ha of fresh produce every year, so we’re probably the largest single user of agrichemicals in the country,” says Richard.
And when it comes to recycling their plastic containers, Richard supports Agrecovery all the way.
Agrecovery Rural Recycling and Westland Milk Products are working together to achieve the co-operative's aim of ensuring the West Coast leads the New Zealand dairy industry in sustainable rural recycling initiatives.
Chris Pullen, Environmental Manager for Westland Milk Products says “We want to ensure that the West Coast dairy industry is highly regarded for its contribution to environmental sustainability.
“With Agrecovery’s help we can promote international best practice and protect New Zealand’s reputation for sustainable agribusiness practice right here on the West Coast.”
The collection of unwanted agrichemicals this year is set to be stronger than 2010's record of nearly 10 tonnes collected through the nationwide Agrecovery Chemicals Programme.
Otago topped the seven regional collections in 2010 with 1921 kilograms collected.
According to Debbie Sherwood, coordinator for the Agrecovery Chemicals programme, booking volumes have been equally strong in 2011, showing chemicals are still a problem on many properties.
“We have completed three collections so far this year, with a record 2060 kg collected in Canterbury. Four other regional collections are in the planning stages, including the Otago/Southland collection where bookings close on 2nd September.”
National leaders in product stewardship development 3R Group has added another accolade to its impressive CV with a paint recycling programme under its management gaining Product Stewardship accreditation.
3R manages the PaintWise paint and packaging take-back scheme on behalf of Resene.
Resene PaintWise is one of six programmes to secure Ministry of Environment (MfE) accreditation to date.
3R Group Executive Director Graeme Norton said the company was thrilled the Resene PaintWise programme joins another programme the company has developed, Agrecovery Rural Recycling, in receiving accreditation.
