Tips for Growers on Recycling Used Plastic Film and Containers

Virtually all types of  horticultural plastics—including mulch film, greenhouse and tunnel covers, irrigation tubing and drip tape, nursery pots and trays—can be recycled, some more easily than others. These tips are for growers, for Extension and research horticulturalists who work with them, and for industry reps who sell plastics to growers.

We will cover:

• How to prepare horticultural plastics for recycling.

• Equipment and methods to efficiently remove plastic from the fields and compact it for transport to recycling markets.

• Hoops to jump, hurdles to clear and issues that arise in collection and processing.

• Costs of recycling, and who pays.

• Viable recycling markets in different areas of the country. 

• Why geography matters.

• Engaging new and prospective markets.

• Where to find educational and outreach materials that promote and explain how to recycle agricultural plastics