Agricultural Plastics

With over 6,000 farms across the state, agricultural plastic disposal is a major concern for many Vermonters. Plastic products such as bale wrap, maple tubing, bunker cover, drip tape, and mulch are a necessity for producers across the state, and options for disposal are limited. Vermont dairy farms generate about 500 tons of plastic annually from the film used for bale wrapping, bunker covers, and more. In addition to the dairy farms, beef farms use about 77 tons of plastics annually and syrup producers generate over 160 tons of maple tubing a year. The vast majority of these plastic products end up in the landfill, at a cost to farmers. Luckily, NWSWD is offering alternatives.

The majority of agricultural plastic that is brought to NWSWD facilities is shipped to the Delta Plastics processing plant in Arkansas. Delta Plastics is a post-consumer plastics processor, specializing specifically in the diversion and repurposing of polyethylene agricultural plastics like bunker cover, sapline, drip tape, and greenhouse film to produce trash can liners and other products. Delta Plastics utilizes a circular economy model by producing agricultural film products that, after use, can be returned to Delta and processed into other products.