Recycling Agricultural Plastics in New Jersey The Garden State

Recycling In Cumberland County The Cumberland County Improvement Authority is the solid waste implementing agency for Cumberland County Cumberland County has the highest overall recycling rate in New Jersey Building partnerships with the Agricultural Community

Partnerships and Convenience Building Partnerships Convenience South Jersey Location Operations at Solid Waste Complex Support of Agricultural Community

Types of Agricultural Plastics Nursery and Greenhouse Film Mixed Ridged Plastics Pesticide containers Up to 55 gallon drums (HDPE #2) Bulb crates Food processing buckets Mulch Film, Drip Tape, Silage Bags, Peat Moss Bags Nursery pots, cell packs, flats, and plug trays

Nursery and Greenhouse Film 1997 pilot project start with a $25,000 grant from NJ Department of Agriculture On site single ram baler first year of program Program expanded to partner with local recycler to bale the material off site

Nursery and Greenhouse Film In New Jersey the average farm is 81 acres 1 million pounds of nursery and greenhouse film is used by New Jersey growers Recycling charges in New Jersey are $20 to $25 per ton This allows both large and small growers to recycle Solid waste haulers can transport the material to the solid waste complex in roll off containers or growers can transport it on their own without a DEP solid waste registration This is a year round program

Nursery Film Recycled in New Jersey Tonnage collected at CCIA vs. total state-wide tonnages

Nursery Film Recycle in New Jersey Over 4 million pounds of film has been recycled in New Jersey since the program started in 1997 As the value of the recycled material increased - Growers took advantage of more options available to them – More growers baled and marketed their own material

Nursery Film Trends 46 acres of 4 mil film equals one tractor trailer load Increases in the value of plastic film has changed the recycling landscape – Growers marketed over 250 tons of material on their own – Valued up to $35,000 Big Foot Plastic baler Tiger baler Hay baler

Nursery Film Trends Recycling Costs and Savings Baling costs range between $40 to $60 per ton Transportation and handling charges Disposal rates in New Jersey range from $55 to $100 per ton By recycling growers save on avoided disposal fees

Recycling Markets Poly America utilizes nursery film into Husky Yard Bags Bill Neal Poly-America (817)

Pesticide Container Recycling Partnership with Ag Container Recycling Council The program evolved from once a year event to monthly collections from May to November Karen Kritz, New Jersey Department of Agriculture Pesticide license holders receive one core credit from the NJDEP for participating in the program Participation levels and the volume of containers collected has increased annually since 2002

Mulch Film and Drip Tape Lessons Learned Markets conditions change Never count on one vendor Export markets – Dirt is a big factor 9,000 acres of mulch film in three South Jersey Counties 1 acre generates 580 pounds of mulch film Year round collection

Mulch Film and Drip Tape With the best efforts from growers – contamination was still an issue Growers respond - Over 300 tons collected in Grant from NJDEP helped cushion the fall Covered baling costs Purchase of concrete retaining walls Outreach literature Processing equipment

Mulch Film and Drip Tape program has been modified to recycle drip tape only Drip tape – Melt index (flow rate) =.2 Density (weight of material relative to water) Water = 1 Drip tape density =.943 – Material will float (material has carbon black) Possible Recycling Markets – plastic pipes, slip sheets (between pallets), blended to make nursery pots

Nursery Pots–Plug Trays–Flats–Cell Packs Recycling Opportunities NJ Department of Agriculture established a recycling outlet for nursery pots, plastic flats, trays, and cell packs Recycled directly by the grower How to prepare the material Keep like plastics segregated on separate pallets Farmers willing to segregate the different types of plastics will receive a preferred price for the plastic Some plastic recyclers will pick up half or full trailer loads of material or growers can combine loads with other farmers in the same area The Department of Agriculture maintains an active list of vendors who wish to be included in a nursery pot recycling program Steve Wasserman Cindarn Recycling Trenton Road Upperco, Md

Education and Communication is Essential Nursery and Greenhouse Film Bundling Procedure

Education & Communication is Essential Brochure and laminated guidelines for recycling agricultural plastic – Spanish translation included

How Can You Get A Program Started? Farmers are willing to go the distance to recycle Farmers can understand the economics of cost avoidance Communications and support is critical to your success Support at the State, County, and Municipal levels Attend County Board of Agriculture meetings Agricultural trade organizations Take advantage of your extension service agents Take advantage of farm related publications Talk to your farming community about recycling cardboard and metal Plastics will continue to play a larger role in agricultural operations

Contact Information Dennis DeMatte, Jr. Phone: Cumberland County Improvement Authority Fax: North High Street Website: Millville, New Jersey Karen KritzPhone: NJ Department of AgricultureFax: John Fitch Plaza, PO Box 330 Trenton, NJ