Environment Canterbury chairman Alec Neill today attended the opening of Agpac’s farm plastics recycling baler at Tai Tapu, near Christchurch.

The new baler was opened by Environment Minister Nick Smith.

Agpac has depots all over Canterbury and offers farmers a viable, environmentally preferable alternative to on-farm burning or burying of waste plastic. Farms use and then have to dispose of or recycle many different types of plastics - bale wrap, silage pit covers, feed bags, packaging, HDPE and PET plastic bottles.

“I’d like to congratulate Chris Hartshorne of Agpac on the new depot at Tai Tapu. It’s a great opportunity for farmers to show the way and use this system instead of the old burning or burying of farm plastics. Farmers actually hate having to burn the plastic wrapping. There is now a viable alternative,” Cr Neill said.

At the same opening, Cr Neill also spoke to a local manufacturer of diesel tanks, Ed Harrison, based in Ashburton. His company, Sebco, makes fully bunded diesel storage stations and oil recovery containers which offer safe, environmentally friendly fuel storage options for the rural sector.

“I was impressed with the concept and intend bringing its benefits to the attention of Environment Canterbury staff. It is really important in this job to get out of the office and into the field to see some of the really great things that the community are doing to help our environment.”

ENDS

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