Help shape the future of farm plastics recycling - Simmonds
The Government is calling on rural New Zealanders to share their views on proposed regulations designed to improve the management of farm plastic waste.
Farm plastic recycler, Agrecovery’s Green-farms Product Stewardship Scheme (GPSS) has been officially accredited under the Waste Minimisation Act (2008).
The GPSS is designed to tackle the challenge of farm plastic waste head-on, with a focus on four primary farm plastics waste streams in the first 3 years of the scheme being in effect: agrichemical containers, bale wrap and silage sheets, small seed and feed bags, and large 1T and 500kg fertiliser sacks. The GPSS has also been accredited to incorporate Animal Health and Household Pest and Weed plastic packaging.
Agrecovery board chair Anders Crofoot says receiving the accreditation is a testament to the hard work and commitment of its team, stakeholders, and the agricultural community.
“Together, we are setting a new standard for environmental responsibility, ensuring that our actions today pave the way for a more sustainable tomorrow.”
“New Zealand dairy farmers are committed to reducing their environmental footprint, including minimising plastic waste. The GPSS offers a solution to enable our farmers to progress further along this journey,” says Burger.
Agrecovery has designed the scheme to include a phased approach to encompassing a broader range of materials over time with plans to significantly broaden the range of recyclable plastics covered by the GPSS in the next 2-7 years. This expansion is a response to the feedback from the farming community and an acknowledgment of the evolving needs of the agricultural sector.
Agrecovery chief executive Tony Wilson says that this is a landmark achievement not only for Agrecovery but for the entire New Zealand primary industry.
“Our accredited GPSS underscores our dedication to stewardship and sustainable practices, driven by the demands and cooperation of New Zealand’s farmers and growers. We’re looking forward to expanding our schemes and fostering innovation and collaboration to ensure a sustainable future for all.”
The GPSS will operate as a voluntary scheme until regulations are in place to ensure all producers of the targeted products participate.
Regulations proposed by the industry-led scheme co-design process to support the GPSS would require those selling the targeted products paying levies to enable a free nationwide collection network for farmers and growers.
Academic Dr Mike Joy and his employer, Victoria University of Wellington have apologised for his comments suggesting that dairy industry CEOs should be hanged for contributing towards nitrate poisoning of waterways.
Environment Southland's catchment improvement funding is once again available for innovative landowners in need of a boost to get their project going.
The team meeting at the Culverden Hotel was relaxed and open, despite being in the middle of calving when stress levels are at peak levels, especially in bitterly cold and wet conditions like today.
A comment by outspoken academic Dr Mike Joy suggesting that dairy industry leaders should be hanged for nitrate contamination of drinking/groundwater has enraged farmers.
OPINION: The phasing out of copper network from communications is understandable.
Driven by a lifelong passion for animals, Amy Toughey's journey from juggling three jobs with full-time study to working on cutting-edge dairy research trials shows what happens when hard work meets opportunity - and she's only just getting started.
OPINION: Westland Milk may have won the contract to supply butter to Costco NZ but Open Country Dairy is having…
OPINION: The Gene Technology Bill has divided the farming community with strong arguments on both the pros and cons of…