The 2002 New Jersey Greenhouse & Nursery Film Collection Program set another record with over 237 tons collected, a 24% increase over 2001. Cumberland County Improvement authority collected nearly 217 tons itself, with Burlington County OTC and East Coast Recycling collecting the remaining 20 tons. The 2002 total of 237 tons was the largest collection since the program originated in 1997 when 224 tons was collected. Watch your fax and mail in early Spring 2003 for information on the 2003 New Jersey Greenhouse & Nursery Film Collection Program.
NEW JERSEY AGRICULTURAL CROP PROTECTION CONTAINER AND NURSERY POT RECYCLING PROGRAM SCHEDULE FOR 2003
New Jersey pesticide applicators and nurserymen may recycle their empty,
plastic crop protection containers and nursery pots at four regional collection
sites in Spring 2003 for FREE. Plans are already underway for a Fall 2003
collection program. The agricultural product container-recycling program
is a collaborative effort between the New Jersey Departments of Agriculture
(NJDA) and Environmental Protection (NJDEP), Burlington County Solid Waste,
Cumberland County Improvement Authority, Pollution Control Financing Authority
of Warren County, Sussex County Solid Waste, the Ag Container Recycling
Council (ACRC) and USAg Recycling, Inc. The collection of the plastic
nursery pots is an additional service being provided by USAg. This FREE
statewide program is being facilitated by the NJDA to collect and recycle
plastic (High Density Polyethylene - HDPE #2) agricultural product containers
used by agricultural, professional and commercial applicators of crop
protection and other pesticide products and HDPE #2 nursery pots used
by nurserymen. Non-refillable HDPE #2 containers up to 55 gallons will
be accepted at the collection sites.
2002 marked the first statewide pesticide container and nursery pot recycling
program for New Jersey. During the three-day collection in September 2002,
New Jersey-licensed pesticide applicators and nurserymen recycled almost
26,000 pounds of High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) plastic pesticide containers,
nursery pots, flats used to transport bulbs and five-gallon plastic buckets.
This included approximately 450 pesticide containers ranging in size from
quart containers to 55-gallon drums; 26,000 nursery pots; 750 flats; and
165 five-gallon buckets. New Jersey’s program was so successful other
states are using it as a model when structuring their own programs. In
Fall 2003, the four sites that sponsored the Spring collection will also
hold a Fall collection (details are still being developed). A new partner
for the Fall collection will be the Atlantic County Utility Authority
(ACUA). The ACUA will hold its Fall collection on Saturday, September
27, 2003, from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the Hammonton Public Works Department
on I Vh & Egg Harbor Road (Rt 561). Cumberland County also has committed
to a Fall collection that will be held on October 3 from 8 a.m. to noon.
The NJDA is working with the other collection sites for a Fall collection
date, so growers who miss the Spring collection should hold their pesticide
containers for the Fall program. There was some question about storage
of empty, clean pesticide containers and classification as hazardous waste.
To address this concern, the NJDA secured from NJDEP a letter stating
that properly rinsed, empty pesticide containers are not regulated as
hazardous waste. Any pesticide container generator who would like a copy
of this letter for their records should contact the NJDA.
Since 1992 ACRC (www.acrecycle.org),
a non-profit organization, has supported agricultural product container
collection programs nationwide and in 2002 recycled 7.3 million pounds
of plastic. Companies that produce, package and distribute crop protection
and other pesticide products fund the recycling program. Applicators and
nurserymen bring their properly rinsed HDPE #2 crop protection containers
and nursery pots to the collection sites where they are inspected and
accepted FREE of charge. USAg (www.usagrecycling.com),
based in Texas, and the ACRC-approved contractor for New Jersey will have
a mobile chipping and bagging machine at the regional collection sites.
USAg has been a subcontractor for ACRC since the early inception of the
program. It will collect and take ownership of the containers and pots,
then grind them, bag the flakes and ship them to its recycling facilities.
The recycled products made from the flakes stay in the chemical industry
- agricultural product containers and pots are morphed into products such
as plastic pipes and irrigation pipes, speed bumps, fence posts, marine
pilings or more plastic pesticide containers.
As an incentive for pesticide license holders to participate in the agriculture
pesticide container recycling program, the NJDEP’s Pesticide Control
Program will issue recertification credits of one unit of Core credit.
To receive credit, the participant MUST bring his/her pesticide license
to the collection site AND MUST follow all of the nine processing steps
below. The pesticide license holder must drop off the containers and present
his/her pesticide license so NJDEP can issue the Core credit. Pesticide
credits WILL NOT be issued for recycling of nursery pots.
PLASTIC PESTICIDE COATAINER PROCESSING STEPS:
I . All pesticide containers MUST be either triple rinsed or pressure
rinsed and drained;
2. All pesticide containers MUST be free of residue (other than stains);
3. Lids MUST be removed;
4. Plastic labels with MSDS sheet MUST be removed;
5. Paper labels MUST be removed (the best of your ability);
6. Only non-refillable pesticide containers will be accepted - drill a
K-inch hole in the bottom of the
container OR with a utility knife make a 6-inch slit in the bottom of
the container so the container will not hold liquids;
7. ONLY pesticide containers embossed with HDPE and the recycling #2 will
be accepted;
8. Pesticide containers up to 55 gallons in capacity will be accepted;
and
9. Pesticide containers must have originally held an EPA registered pesticide.
ITEMS THAT WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED AND WILL BE RETURNED TO THE PARTICIPANT:
I . Pesticide containers with dried formulation on the container, pour
spout or the spout threads;
2. Pesticide containers with ANY liquid residue;
3. Pesticide containers where the insides are caked with dried residue;
4. Mini-bulk, saddle tanks and nurse tanks, which can be made of fiberglass;
5. Pesticide containers with lids or lids by themselves; or
6. Pesticide containers that originally held veterinary products, consumer
products or home and garden
pesticides.
Any agricultural, professional and commercial applicator of crop protection
and other pesticide products who generates large quantities of crop protection
containers may contact USAg Recycling at 1-800-654-3145 for direct service.
USAg will come to your site and there is no charge for the service.
Nurserymen who have HDPE #2 nursery pots to recycle MUST follow the three
processing steps below.
PLASTIC NURSERY POT RECYCLING STEPS:
I . All soil MUST be knocked free from the nursery pots and then the pots
MUST be rinsed,
2. All nursery pots MUST be free of soil and plant material; and
3. ONLY nursery pots embossed with recycling #2 or HDPE will be accepted.
NURSERY POTS THAT WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED AND WILL BE RETURNED TO
THE PAR TICIPANT FOR PROPER DISPOSAL:
1. Nursery pots not embossed with # 2 or HDPE
2. Nursery pots with soil residue; and
3. Nursery pots with plant residue.
To gauge potential participation levels at the regional collection site,
the NJDA requests participants to contact the collection site to be used
or the NJDA and provide an estimated volume of pesticide containers, nursery
pots, etc., that will be dropped off for recycling. This will enable the
site to better determine the number of staff needed to handle the materials
during drop-off. For additional information, contact Karen Kritz, NJ Department
of Agriculture, at (609) 984-2506 or by email at Karen.Kritz@ag.state.nj.us.
NEW JERSEY
HDPE AGRICULTURE PESTICIDE CONTAINER & NURSERY POT - SPRING 2003 COLLECTION
SCHEDULE
SOUTHERN REGION
COLLECTION SITE Cumberland County Solid Waste Complex
169 Jesse Bridge Road (located off Route 55 Exit 29)
Deerfield, New Jersey
DATE Monday, May 19,2003
TIME 8:00 am to Noon
CONTACT Dennis DeMatte, Jr. (856) 825-3700
CENTRAL REGION
COLLECTION SITE Burlington County Resource Recovery Complex
Burlington-Columbus Road (Route 543)
Mansfield, New Jersey
Located off 1-295 Exit 52A (Columbus Exit)
DATE Tuesday, May 20, 2003
TIME 8: 00 am to Noon
CONTACT Anne Moore (609) 499-1001
NORTHERN REGION
COLLECTION SITE Warren County Fair Grounds
Route 519 & Strykers Road
Harmony Township, New Jersey
DATE Wednesday, May 21, 2003
TIME 8:00 am to 11:00 am
CONTACT William Carner (908) 453-2174, Pollution Control Financing Authority
of Warren County
COLLECTION SITE Sussex County Solid Waste
Sussex County Solid Waste Facility
34 South Route 94
Lafayette, New Jersey
DATE Wednesday, May 21, 2003
TIME 12:30 pm to 3:30 pm
CONTACT John Cannata (973) 579-6998
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS
CONTACT:
The New Jersey Nursery & Landscape Association at (609) 291-7070 or
email at njnla1@aol.com
or Karen Kritz at (609) 984-2506 or Karen.Kritz@ag.state.nj.us.
