Lynne Richmond
(609)292-8896
lynne.richmond@ag.state.nj.us

(TRENTON) -- New Jersey's nationally recognized nursery and greenhouse film collection and recycling program is entering its 10th consecutive year. Growers may take their nursery and greenhouse film to two regional collection sites year-round: the Cumberland County Solid Waste Complex in Deerfield and the Burlington County Occupational Training Center in Mount Holly.

Out-of-state growers may take their used film to the Mount Holly site; the Cumberland site will accept only New Jersey growers’ film.

“New Jersey is a leader in film recycling and federal and state government agencies and non-profit organizations have sought our assistance in setting up their own programs,” said New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Charles M. Kuperus. “Not only does the recycling of these materials keep them out of landfills and out of the environment, but it can save growers money in disposal costs.”

Since New Jersey implemented this successful program in 1997, growers have recycled more than 4,000,000 pounds of nursery and greenhouse film, saving Garden State farmers almost $60,000 in landfill tipping fees.

“Reinvigorating recycling is one of our priorities at the Department of Environmental Protection, and the film-recycling program is a great step toward enabling New Jersey to effectively and efficiently manage its solid waste,” said DEP Commissioner Lisa P. Jackson.

Converting the nursery and greenhouse film program from seasonal to year-round has had a significant positive impact. During the 2005 greenhouse and nursery film recycling program, Garden State growers recycled 374 tons of used film, a 36-percent increase over the tonnage recycled in 2004 and the most film recycled since the program was initiated in 1997. Growers who participated in the program in 2005 saved $11,224 in avoidable landfill costs.

New Jersey also had four farmers who sold more than 195 tons of baled nursery and greenhouse film to plastic-recycling firms. If growers have more than 50 acres of nursery or greenhouse film to recycle and have the ability to bale the film, the Department advises that it may be advantageous for those growers to market the film themselves.

Each collection site has its own tipping fees. Growers, New Jersey or otherwise, interested in recycling their used nursery or greenhouse film should contact the collection site for information on procedures to follow.

Vehicles used to transport the greenhouse and nursery film intra or interstate are not required to be licensed by the DEP as long as the used film is transported directly to one of the two collection sites participating in New Jersey’s nursery and greenhouse film-recycling program..

Both white and clear nursery film and clear multi-season (two-year, three-year, and four-year) greenhouse covers may be recycled. Film must be free of lathing, staples and saran. Loads containing other agricultural plastics, such as bags, mulch film, shrink film, stretch film, drip irrigation or ground cover film, will be rejected at the collection sites.

For additional information on the nursery and greenhouse film-recycling program, or the Department’s other plastics-recycling programs, growers can call (609) 292-5575 or visit
www.state.nj.us/agriculture/recyclingpestcons.htm.