Nanaimo Recycling Exchange is working hard to recycle miles of plastic bale wrap used by our local livestock farms.

 

We are getting some lessons in haylage and silage from farmers meeting the challenges of providing fresh local food. Between 15 and 20 farmers are working hard to collect and store their used bale wrap, doing what they can to keep it clean for recycling here on Vancouver Island. Every week a new farm contacts the NRE to get in on the program so they don’t have to throw the plastic in the garbage.

 

The goal is to recycle 1,200 to 2,000 individual bale wraps and nets this year as part of a new product testing pilot for waste stream plastics. Apparently there is no shortage of this product on Vancouver Island. We hope the testing pilot turns into a long-term solution for recycling bale wrap and other agricultural plastics.