MONROE - Green County farmers will have another opportunity to dispose of old plastic from wrapped bales, bunker covers and silo bags from April 6 to 17 at the Green County Landfill. The landfill will be accepting agriculture plastics from Green County area farmers from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily during that time period. Farmers can dispose of their agriculture plastics free of charge, and the plastic will be baled for recycling into other consumer plastic products.
The collection has been opened up this year to also allow farmers from surrounding counties to dispose of used ag plastic.
According to a news release from Green County's University of Wisconsin-Extension, the county conducted a successful collection last fall, gathering more than 65,000 pounds of ag plastic from area farmers. "However, that is only the tip of the iceberg as it's estimated that over 3 million pounds of ag plastics for silo bags, bunker covers and bale wraps are sold annually in the county," the news release said.
Green County has entered into an agreement with Delta Plastics in Arkansas to recycle the plastic. Green County will collect and bale the used plastic into 2,000-pound bales and Delta will truck them to their plant and recycle the used plastic into trash can liners and other plastic products.
Burning used plastic wrap is illegal, and farmers can be fined for burning used plastic on their farms. Burning the plastic is difficult and also not good for the environment. "This Ag plastic collection program will provide area farmers with a free and legal method for disposing of their plastic and will also free up space in our landfills," the release said.
Only No. 4 plastic from silo bags, bunker covers and bale wraps will be accepted through this collection. Plastic twine, mesh bale wraps, plastic jugs and all other types of plastic containers will not be accepted through the program.
While the new technology allows for these ag plastics to be recycled, the plastic still needs to be relatively clean and should not contain large amounts of mud, manure, gravel or silage.
"While it is not practical to remove all the dirt from the used plastic, if the plastic is not relatively clean, it cannot be recycled. Farmers are asked at a minimum to shake any excess mud, gravel, dirt and feed of the plastic before storing it to bring to the collection in the fall," the Extension said in the release.
Super Sacks for storing and hauling the used pieces of plastic to the landfill collection site are available through the Juda FFA. The sacks are 4-foot by 4-foot by 4-foot. To get sacks, contact Ralph Johnson, Juda FFA Advisor, at 608-934-5251, ext. 206.
If the spring collection is successful, the Extension plans to have a second collection in November. For more information about the Green County Ag Plastic Collection program, contact Mark Mayer, Green County UW-Extension agriculture agent, at 328-9440 or mark.mayer@ces.uwex.edu.
The collection has been opened up this year to also allow farmers from surrounding counties to dispose of used ag plastic.
According to a news release from Green County's University of Wisconsin-Extension, the county conducted a successful collection last fall, gathering more than 65,000 pounds of ag plastic from area farmers. "However, that is only the tip of the iceberg as it's estimated that over 3 million pounds of ag plastics for silo bags, bunker covers and bale wraps are sold annually in the county," the news release said.
Green County has entered into an agreement with Delta Plastics in Arkansas to recycle the plastic. Green County will collect and bale the used plastic into 2,000-pound bales and Delta will truck them to their plant and recycle the used plastic into trash can liners and other plastic products.
Burning used plastic wrap is illegal, and farmers can be fined for burning used plastic on their farms. Burning the plastic is difficult and also not good for the environment. "This Ag plastic collection program will provide area farmers with a free and legal method for disposing of their plastic and will also free up space in our landfills," the release said.
Only No. 4 plastic from silo bags, bunker covers and bale wraps will be accepted through this collection. Plastic twine, mesh bale wraps, plastic jugs and all other types of plastic containers will not be accepted through the program.
While the new technology allows for these ag plastics to be recycled, the plastic still needs to be relatively clean and should not contain large amounts of mud, manure, gravel or silage.
"While it is not practical to remove all the dirt from the used plastic, if the plastic is not relatively clean, it cannot be recycled. Farmers are asked at a minimum to shake any excess mud, gravel, dirt and feed of the plastic before storing it to bring to the collection in the fall," the Extension said in the release.
Super Sacks for storing and hauling the used pieces of plastic to the landfill collection site are available through the Juda FFA. The sacks are 4-foot by 4-foot by 4-foot. To get sacks, contact Ralph Johnson, Juda FFA Advisor, at 608-934-5251, ext. 206.
If the spring collection is successful, the Extension plans to have a second collection in November. For more information about the Green County Ag Plastic Collection program, contact Mark Mayer, Green County UW-Extension agriculture agent, at 328-9440 or mark.mayer@ces.uwex.edu.