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.
An independent report, prepared for Alliance farmer shareholders is backing the proposed $250 million joint venture investment by Irish company Dawn Meats Group.
Whangarei field service technician, Bryce Dickson has cemented his place in John Deere’s history, becoming the first ever person to win an award for the third time at the annual Australian and New Zealand Technician of the Year Awards, announced at a gala dinner in Brisbane last night.
NZPork has appointed Auckland-based Paul Bucknell as its new chair.
The Government claims to have delivered on its election promise to protect productive farmland from emissions trading scheme (ETS) but red meat farmers aren’t happy.
Foot and Mouth Disease outbreaks could have a detrimental impact on any country's rural sector, as seen in the United Kingdom's 2000 outbreak that saw the compulsory slaughter of over six million animals.
The Ministry for the Environment is joining as a national award sponsor in the Ballance Farm Environment Awards (BFEA from next year).
OPINION: Should cows in NZ be microchipped?
OPINION: Legislation being drafted to bring back the controversial trade of live animal exports by sea is getting stuck in the…