US Ag Recycling Inc. Picking Up Agricultural Plastic Containers Throughout New York

Agricultural Plastic Container Recycling Oct. 13 & 14, 2011 and is FREE to Farmers

US Ag Recycling Inc. will be picking up agricultural plastic containers throughout New York State in the month of October, 2011.  The service is free to farmers and provides an environmentally friendly alternative to burning or throwing away agricultural containers.  Farmers are being “Green” by demonstrating product stewardship.  In Steuben County Cornell Cooperative Extension and The Steuben County Landfill will host a site for US Ag Recycling to pick up ag plastic from our area farmers.
Agricultural producers and custom applicators all around western New York State are recycling their triple – rinsed plastic containers from agricultural crop protection products such as specialty pest control, crop oils, surfactants, micro-nutrient/fertilizer, and/or adjuvant products.  US Ag Recycling Inc. offers an environmentally “green” convenient option for disposing of their empty containers. 
US Ag Recycling is a contractor for the industry funded Ag Container Recycling Council (ACRC) who in 2008 celebrated 100 million pounds of agricultural plastic containers recycled from across the United States.  Today ACRC averages 8 million pounds collected each year.  Collected containers are ground into chips and recycled as corrugated plastic field drainage pipe and other ACRC approved products.  That’s farmers helping to keep plastic out of the landfills.
Containers accepted are HDPE #2 plastic containers only, ranging from less than 1 gallon to 55 gallon barrels.  Only the large 250 gallon shuttle totes must be cut into 2 foot wide pieces and free of any hardware.  Cutting tanks in this manner facilitates proper cleaning and inspection, reduces storage area, and allows for direct feed into the granulation machine.  To be acceptable for recycling, plastic containers must be empty, clean, uncapped, and dry.  To help store containers until pick up time, large bags that hold 50 to 60 – 2.5 gallon containers are available for free upon registration.
Containers can be dropped off to the Steuben County Landfill (Turnpike Road, Bath) Thursday and Friday October 13 & 14 from 8am – 3pm. You do not need to pre-register for this event. Please contact Cornell Cooperative Extension at 607-664-2300 for more information.