URBANREC

Convenient, cost-effective and environmentally-friendly rubbish disposal options will be available to rural dwellers in South Canterbury next month.

 

The Agrecovery programme allows farmers and growers to drop off - at one collection point - chemical containers, silage and bale wrap, fertiliser and feedbags, waste oil and unwanted chemicals for safe disposal and in some cases recycling.

The Geraldine event - on September 11, is fourth of the six "pilot" events and follows two trial pop-up rural waste recovery events in Matamata and Geraldine in 2018. The five other other "pilot" events are in Westport (August 29), Winton (Sept 4), Selwyn (Sept 9), Matamata (Sept 16), Gisborne (Sept 19).

South Canterbury farmers safely disposed of eight tonnes of waste at their 2018 Geraldine trial.

Federated Farmers South Canterbury president Jason Grant said waste management on farms, especially the disposal of inorganic waste was challenging to people who live in rural areas, and drop off points will make life more convenient.

"Farmers care about their environment. Plastic waste created on farm is a bulky product which is difficult to and expensive to transport. Having convenient local drop off points for this waste will make it easier for farmers to use."

Grant said programmes such as Agrecovery that helped to minimise farm waste and carefully dispose of it was always welcome.

"Disposal of unused chemicals and oils are very difficult. Having a place to take these where you know the waste will be dealt with responsibly is great," he said.

He said the event was also good for the environment and for health and safety in rural areas.

"Rules making the burning of plastics prohibited leaving farmers with little options to deal with waste. Burying or storing this waste in some cases is not practical, so local drop off points make compliance easier."

Timaru District Council waste minimisation manager Ruth Clarke said it was important to provide waste disposal options for farmers who had agricultural based waste streams such as balage wrap and chemical containers.

"Kerbside collection systems, common in urban areas, only cater for typical household waste. Farming produces a range of different way streams which need specific solutions."

Clarke said farmers were already motivated to protect the land and one-stop shop events offered significant opportunities for them to access recycling services and reduce effects on the environment.

"It enables the farmer to deal with a range of waste streams all at once, and the recycling opportunities are ensured by partnering with industry organisations."

Farm manager, Aaron Gorrie participated in the 2018 event and hosted an open day on the farm he manages prior to the pilot event so people could find out more about the project.

"We have a farm environment plan in place, and we work hard to ensure we meet the requirements of the plan. This is a great opportunity to have unwanted chemicals correctly disposed of.

"Since the 2018 event we have changed the way we manage our waste chemicals and containers. Containers are now rinsed immediately and stored separately in an easily accessible place and we make regular drops to the Agrecovery collection site in Temuka."???

The Agrecovery Foundation started in 2007, with a product stewardship programme designed to help clear plastic agrichemical containers and drums from farms and orchards around the country. 

Agrecovery chief executive Simon Andrew said about 20 tonnes of material was collected in the two trials.

"The success of these events prompted the expansion of the pilot into four new areas with the assistance of Ministry funding," he said.

Waste must be prepared properly before drop off and farmers and growers interested in registering for the events and finding out more about how to prepare material for drop off should visit www.agrecovery.co.nz

 Source: The Timaru Herald

» More Information

« Go to Technological Watch