Governor Phil Murphy • Lt. Governor Tahesha Way

Department of Agriculture

NJDA ANNOUNCES 1999 RECYCLING PROGRAM FOR GREENHOUSE/NURSERY FILM

For Immediate Release: October 20, 1998 Contact:

Hope Gruzlovic
(609)292-8896
hope.gruzlovic@ag.state.nj.us
     

New Jersey Agriculture Secretary Art Brown, Jr., today announced that the 1999 greenhouse and nursery film collection and recycling program will run from February 1 through June 1, with at least two collection sites already approved in Cumberland County. The two facilities are East Coast Recycling in Millville and the Cumberland County Improvement Authority in Deerfield. "We are giving growers plenty of advance notice about the 1999 film collection program so they can plan their participation in this film recycling effort," Brown said, noting that some growers are removing greenhouse film now and need details about how to properly bundle and store the material in anticipation of the program's early start-up date. "Once again, the department will provide growers with written collection and bundling guidelines to follow when wrapping and storing the film," Brown said "Getting the information out now will help nurserymen decide how they want to manage the film when it is removed from hoop houses in the spring." Both white and clear films used in nurseries for over-wintering plants, as well as clear multi-season (two-year, three-year and four-year) greenhouse covers can be recycled. The used film must be free of lathing, staples and saran tape. Loads containing other agricultural plastics, such as bags, mulch film, shrink film, stretch film or ground cover, will be rejected at the collection site. "We work throughout the year to help recycling centers find new markets for recycled film," Brown said, "but the global economy has a significant impact on markets for used film, which sometimes makes it difficult for recycling centers to find buyers for the product. "However," he added, "our nurserymen and greenhouse operators have developed good quality control programs and our recycled film is very clean so we are optimistic that our film will ultimately be marketable." New Jersey's greenhouse and nursery growers remove and dispose of almost one million pounds of film each year. In 1997 NJDA implemented the film collection program to keep the plastic out of New Jersey's landfills and more than 450,000 pounds of film was recycled around the state. Last year, another 285,000 pounds of film was collected at six approved collection sites in Atlantic, Burlington, Cumberland, Monmouth and Passaic Counties. The lower amount was attributed to the early spring, which forced growers to remove film before recycling sites had been established. Almost 90 percent of the film collected in 1998 was generated by growers located south of Camden County, leading the department to locate the 1999 collection sites in the southern part of the state. However, NJDA will closely monitor the program throughout the season in order to determine whether additional collection sites are required elsewhere in the state. With a 1998 grant from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, NJDA was able to offset a portion of the program's operating cost. During the 1999 program, approved collection sites will again be partially reimbursed for their costs based on the volume of film recycled by New Jersey growers. For more information or copies of the Growers Collection and Bundling Guidelines, contact NJDA at 609-984-2506 or e-mail karen.kritz@ag.state.nj.us, or call the New Jersey Nursery & Landscape Association at 609-291-7070 or AT Plastics, 1-800-661-3606.

1999 APPROVED COLLECTION SITES FOR GREENHOUSE & NURSERY FILM
CUMBERLAND COUNTY SOLID WASTE COMPLEX
169 Jesse Bridge Road
Deerfield, New Jersey
(609) 825-3700
Prior to delivery of the film, all growers MUST call the Authority to establish an account. In addition, growers using a licensed solid waste hauler MUST inform the Authority prior to delivery in order to maintain proper billing and documentation. Hours of Operation: Monday-Friday 7:30 am - 3:30 pm, Saturday by appointment only
Tipping Fee: $10.00 per ton
Drop-off requirements:
  • Film must be rolled into manageable bundles. If grower chooses to tie the bundle (not required), the tie MUST be made of greenhouse film. Material MUST be free from all debris including wood, shrink wrap, nails and any other material foreign to said film.
  • Film which is dirty or not properly prepared will be rejected.

Additional Services: Additional services are available on a case-by-case basis. Contact the Authority with special needs. EAST COAST RECYCLING ASSOCIATES
Millville Industrial Park
1801 Eden Road
Millville, New Jersey
(609) 327-8888 Hours of Operation: Monday - Friday 7:30 am - 4:00 pm
Tipping Fee: $0.00
Drop-off requirements:

  • Film must be bundled and tied (the tie MUST be made of greenhouse film) OR placed in boxes on pallets. Material MUST be free of any debris including, but not limited to, wood, stones, dirt, etc. Film which is dirty or not properly prepared will be rejected.
  • At the time of delivery, or as soon thereafter as practical, the material will be weighed and a ticket issued stating the weight, less any pallets and boxes.

NEW JERSEY NURSERY & GREENHOUSE FILM 1999 RECYCLING PROGRAM
GROWER COLLECTION & BUNDLING GUIDELINES Growers must maintain a high quality control program when removing the film and preparing it for storage or delivery to the regional collection sites. Through the demonstration program we learned ways to collect, bale and market the film. Now we must move forward to implement measures to improve the program. In order to market the film, we must be able to provide an ample supply of quality material. Grower cooperation is imperative in order to continue the success and future of the program. Below are steps which MUST be followed for the 1999 film recycling program. QUALITY CONTROL
  • Film should be cut just above the lathe board in order to insure that no staples or wood are commingled with the film.

    The film MUST be rolled. For ease of handling, the film should be rolled up as soon as it is removed from the structure. The rolled film must be no wider than 4-5 feet (like a sausage). It may be necessary to cut the length of the film for ease of handling (see diagram).

    The bundled film MUST be tied and ONLY the same type of film in the roll should be used to tieit. DO NOTuse twine, wire, non-nursery/greenhouse film, etc. If anything other than nursery/greenhouse film is used to tie the bundled film, the load will be rejected. See sketch for bundling procedure options A & B.

    Every step should be taken to avoid picking up excess soil when the film is removed from the structures, rolled, stored or prepared for delivery to the regional collection site.

    Only nursery and greenhouse film will be accepted at the regional collection sites. No bags, mulch film, shrink film, stretch film, or ground cover film will be accepted.

  • Film MUST be free of foreign material: lathing, wood, staples, paper, stone, saran tape, etc. Any loads which contain material other than nursery or greenhouse film will be rejected by the approved collection sites.

STORING THE FILM OVER THE WINTER FOR FUTURE OFF-SITE RECYCLING New Jersey has one collection period, namely during the spring/early summer months. Collection dates may vary by region. The rolls of film can be stored over the winter and delivered to the collection sites during the next regionally scheduled collection period. In order to assure that the material will maintain its quality over the winter months, the steps listed below must be followed.

  • The rolls can not be in contact with the soil or placed on stone. They MUST be stored on a concrete pad or on pallets. Storing the film on soil or stone will increase the chance of soil or stones contaminating the load of film when it is prepared for delivery to the regional collection site.

    The best place to store the rolls of film is inside a building. However, if an area of a building can not be designated for this purpose, the material can be stored outside if it is covered. In order to eliminate the accumulation of water in the rolls, they MUST be covered with some type of tarp or plastic. The film which is removed from the structures can be used to cover the rolled film and the covering can then be bundled and tied and recycled when the material is delivered to the regional collection site. If a tarp or non-greenhouse/nursery film is used to cover the rolls, it MUST be removed prior to delivery of the rolls of film to the collection site.

  • All quality control measures outlined earlier MUST be followed.

TRANSPORTATION

  • Film may be transported to the collection sites by the grower or a commercial contractor. If a trash dumpster is used to transport the rolls of film, remember that only nursery and greenhouse film is allowed - no other plastic material or refuse. If there are any contaminants in the load, the entire load may be rejected by the regional collection site.

  • A solid waste transport permit from the New Jersey Department of Environmental protection is NOT required to transport recyclable materials to the collection site.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, contact Karen Kritz, New Jersey Department of Agriculture at (609) 984-2506, e-mail karen.kritz@ag.state.nj.us or AT Plastics at 1-800-661-3606.