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There's not much nutritional value in baleage wrap, but that hasn't stopped a number of Southland farmers
inadvertently adding it to their animals' diet. Shredded baleage wrap being left in paddocks is causing concern
for ES staff because of the likelihood of it ending up in places it shouldn't be.
Currently, the biggest concern is with the sheer volume of baleage wrap left in paddocks that are now being
cultivated. Machinery shreds it up and makes it that much easier for the winds at this time of year to deposit
it into waterways, roadsides and neighbouring property. Farmers are urged to be vigilant with their collection of
baleage wrap throughout winter, to store or dispose of it as they go, rather than leaving it lying in paddocks.
Baleage wrap is a potential problem for contractors, as it has a tendency to become entangled with their equipment.
Farmers also needed to take care with their methods of disposal to ensure the wrap didn't get into waterways.
Whilst it remained often just an aesthetic problem, there was potential for baleage wrap to cause blockages in side
streams and it could also pose a threat to wildlife.
This is 'worst case scenario' stuff but the potential for baleage wrap to cause significant environmental damage
is real. A few years ago, we'd barely even heard of baleage, now there's more than 12,000 rolls of baleage wrap
used each year in Southland, which equates to around 90,000 kms of waste.
Baleage Wrap Recycling
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Disposal Options
Agpac
Agpac offers a collection service involving a bin and liner system is designed that aim to reduce contamination.
It helps keep your farm tidy and make collection of the baleage for recycling easier and more efficient. For more
information please visit www.agpac.co.nz and follow
the link to Environmental Solutions.
Agrecovery
Agrecovery has a wrap recycling programme that involves:
- Prepurchasing wrap bags from your rural retailer or direct from Agrecovery.
- As soon as you peel the wrap off the bale shake as much organic matter and water from the
plastic as possible.
- Tightly roll the wrap up, being careful not to roll any contamination with it such as stones,
net, twine, lumps of silage etc. Dispose net wrap and twine (we can't recycle this sorry).
- Stuff the clean, dry wrap roll into the wrap recycling bag.
- When the wrap recycling bag is full tie it off, store in shed and log collection with Agrecovery:
www.agrecovery.co.nz or 0800 247 326.
Southland Enterprises
Where can I take it?
Southland disAbility Enterprises (SdEI) on 191 Bond Street (same place as the Invercargill recycling drop-off centre).
How should I deliver it?
SdEI suggest you use wool fadges as containers. SdEI can replace any fadges you drop-off. SdEI may also be able to
collect your wrap. For more information, give them a call on (03) 2145111 or visit their website:
www.sei.co.nz.
How clean does it have to be?
The cleaner it is the better, as excess dirt/rubbish hinders the ability to keep recycling balewrap. The best way
to avoid balewrap getting too dirty is to roll and pack it up as you go.
What happens to the balewrap?
Baleage wrap can now be recycled in New Zealand. SdEI wash and bale the plastic wrap and send it to Christchurch
were it is reprocessed into new plastic products.
What are the benefits?
For the Environment: By recycling, you no longer have to bury or burn your balewrap to get rid of it.
This means less landfilling, less air pollutants and less litter. Also by recycling the balewrap less raw
materials are needed, reducing our demand on the environment and increasing our sustainability.
For the Economy: Recycling initiatives can only continue to grow and SEI believes there is the potential
to create up to 20 fully waged jobs within their Enterprise.
Compliance
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