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The AgPac bin and full bin liner.
The Northland Silage Wrap Recycling Programme is a joint venture between a number of parties including the Northland Regional Council, community-based environmental group CBEC Eco Solutions, wrap supplier Agpac, Auckland-based plastic recycling company Replas and dairy giant Fonterra.
Conal Summers, a Cleaner Production/Pollution Prevention Officer with the Regional Council, says plastic silage wrap is a convenient way to store, transport and feed out silage.
However, finding an appropriate, environmentally friendly way to dispose of the estimated 40-plus tonnes of non-biodegradable wrap used every year in Northland has been an ongoing problem.
“Until now the only ways of disposing of it have been burning or burial – both of which have potentially quite serious implications both for the environment and for human and stock health - or taking used wrap to a refuse transfer station.”
Mr Summers says the new programme intends to provide a quality recycling service specifically aimed at Northland’s farming industry.
“In the past, used bale wrap has been hard to recover and recycle, with major issues being the high levels of dirt and other material that ends up contaminating it and the difficulty of collecting bulky material from spread-out rural areas.“
Mr Summers says the new system relies on keeping the silage wrap clean by depositing it in a suitable weatherproof bin immediately after use.
Farmers can either buy a purpose-made bin for $480 (+GST) or make one themselves (wool sacks with a suitable frame and cover are an alternative) – and must include a recyclable liner.
Each $10 liner is able to hold up to 150 bale wrappers and once full, farmers can either call to have the 1.5 cubic metre bales collected (for $40 + GST each) or drop them off themselves (for $20 + GST each) at the Kaitaia Transfer Station or Whangarei’s ReSort Centre (Paper Reclaim).
Mr Summers says collections will be held twice a year towards the end of
Winter, with the recovered material (including the bin liners) recycled in New Zealand and used to produce storage bins for the silage wrap programme.
He says a brochure outlining the newly-launched system will be sent out to farmers in the near future and urges them to store what used wrap they already have until they can take advantage of the new recycling scheme.
Farmers wanting further information can call 0800 REWRAP (0800 739 727) or visit the Northland Regional Council’s website: www.nrc.govt.nz/silagewrap