Frequently Asked Questions

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Why do farmers have to store plastic like this?
Because when it is left lying on the paddock it becomes very contaminated with mud and water. It also gets mixed up with other waste materials like tyres and stones and this hinders its use as a recyclate. Because it is so dirty the plastic has to be washed prior to recycling into other products and there are limited opportunities to get this done in New Zealand. In order to encourage recyclers to tackle this difficult waste stream we need to reduce the high levels of contamination found in this plastic.

How does the Bin and Liner system work?
The circular Bin is designed to hold a heavy duty liner in such a way it allows farmers to pack the most plastic into each liner. The Bin has a horizontally sliding lid to keep out rain and to keep the plastic secure in the liner. When the liner is full you simply take off the lid, tie the liner off, undo the two latches at the front and remove the filled liner.

What do farmers have to do?
We are asking farmers to place their waste plastics into the Bin straight away and not leave it lying in the paddock where it becomes very dirty. This simple action of placing the waste materials in the Bin as soon as possible after feed out keeps the plastic much cleaner and this means recyclers are better able to use the plastic. It also helps to keep your farm tidy and there is less risk of the plastic polluting the countryside.

Why can’t you pick up the loose plastic?
Apart from the contamination issue, loose plastic is difficult to collect. It is hard to judge how much material is lying in a pile and it is not easy to agree a price for collecting a random pile of material without having to go to the expense of weighing the collection vehicle after each pickup. It is also complicated to plan collections, as the collector does not know how much material to expect at each pick up point. The liner serves as a unit both for planning purposes and for making a fair charge to everyone.

Isn’t there always some mud or water on the bale wrap?
Yes and that’s fine. We accept there will always be some dirt. We are trying to stop the excessive contamination that happens after the bale has been fed out. In particular heavy objects are often thrown on the piles of plastic to stop them blowing around and these types of objects cause serious damage to recycling machines.

Can I use a wool fadge or another type of bag?
No. This is because the whole of the liner and its contents are recyclable together. This means there is no further sorting to be done when the filled liner gets to the recycling plant. Also by having the same type of filled liner everyone is using the same standard “unit”. This means when we are organising collections in each local area we will know exactly what volume is available at each farm and this keeps the cost down. Everyone will be paying the same uplift fee based on each liner regardless of the type of plastic or the amount in each liner.

Do I have to buy a Bin?
No. But you must use the liner. If you want to make your own holder that’s fine, but remember that this recycling Bin has been specially designed for you to allow you to get the maximum amount of plastic into each liner. It has been designed by farmers for farmers. Remember you pay a fixed uplift charge for each liner regardless of how much is in the liner so the more plastic you get in the liner the better for you. The Bin has also been designed to allow you easy access to the filled liner so you can get the heavy liner out ready for collection.

How much plastic do I get in the liner?
This depends on how much care you take in filling the liner and whether or not you chose to use a Bin. You should aim to get around 150 used wraps into each liner but you will need to roll up the wraps before putting them in the Bin. If you only use a liner you will not get as many wraps in. Remember the Bin is designed to allow you to pack the most used wraps into each liner and that, as you pay a fixed uplift charge per liner, it is in your interest to pack as much plastic in each liner.

What are the Bins made from?
The Bins are made from recycled farm baleage wrap so we can close the recycling loop. Recycling is concerned with reusing materials into another product—this is when the recycling process is complete (closed loop). Creating the demand for recycled products is important because it also creates a need for more waste materials. The Bin is made from a single flexible sheet folded to make a circle. The plastic is strong enough to withstand the New Zealand conditions.

Can I put other farm plastics in the Bin?
Yes you can. This system also allows you to segregate plastics at source which again helps the recycling process.  You can mix your baleage wraps with silage pit covers, plastic feed bags, and plastic packaging that comes on farms. If you take your silage pit cover off in strips then put the strips into the liner. If you fold the cover off the pit in one, and you want to dispose of it, then simply fold the cover into a parcel and leave it by the Bin ready for collection. There will be a small charge to uplift this parcel. If you have half tonne or one tonne feed or fertiliser bags these should be kept separate from the other plastics as they are a different plastic.

What about the net wrap?
It is important that you do not mix baler twine or net wrap with the baleage wrap as they are different plastics. Please separate the net wrap from the baleage wrap before putting only the baleage wrap in the Bin.

How do I know which types of plastic can be mixed together?
Once you have joined the scheme you will be sent a leaflet telling you which plastics can be mixed and which plastics cannot be accepted and have to be kept separate. If in doubt either phone your local collector or Chris Hartshorne at Agpac.

Frequently Asked Questions:

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