Farmers recycling more plastic

More than 650 tonnes of plastic farm waste has been recycled nationwide during the past year thanks to a government-funded scheme, according to the Environment Minister amy Adams.

Under the product stewardship scheme, Plasback supplies more than 1,000 recycling bins to New Zealand farms and collects agricultural plastics such as bale wrap, silage wrap and covers, agrichemical containers and crop bags. The waste is then recyled into plastic resin pellets and then reused in new plastic products.

“Many farmers have been frustrated by the lack of options for dealing with plastic farm waste and know that burning or burying waste is not a sustainable option,” Adams says.

“This voluntary scheme is about getting alongside farmers and providing an environmentally-friendly alternative.”

The programme received $130,000 from the Government’s Waste Minimisation Fund which supports projects that increase resource efficiency and decrease the amount of waste going to landfill.

Product Stewardship Schemes, which meet the criteria for reducing waste and environmental harm are accredited by the Minister for the Environment.

Innovative waste reduction project? Apply here

Meat companies developing initiatives that increase the reuse, recycling or recovery of waste material are among the organisations being invited to apply to the Waste Minimisation Fund.

“This is a chance for organisations with an innovative project to apply for support from the government to give their project a head start,” Environment Minister Amy Adams says.

Since the first funding round opened in 2009, the fund has awarded about $20 million to more than 60 projects.

To receive funding, projects need to increase resource efficiency or reduce the amount of waste sent to New Zealand’s landfills. The current round is open until 19 June.

Money for the WMF comes from the waste levy charged on material disposed of at New Zealand landfills.

For more information about applying for the fund, click here.