Oxford County has launched a new pilot project aimed at diverting agricultural plastics from the burn pile or the local landfill.
Local farmers can now dispose of these plastics, including silage bags, bunker covers, bale wraps, fertilizer bags and salt bags, for $50 per ton at the Oxford County Waste Management Facility in Salford. The materials, county officials said, must be “reasonably clean and free of contamination.” Additionally, the materials must be sorted according to type, packed in appropriate bags and tied up.
County officials warned that loose or excessively dirty material will not be accepted and instead categorized as garbage. Unacceptable materials through the program include net wrap and twine mesh.
Each year, Oxford County farmers generate roughly 300 tons of bale and silage wrap. The pilot project provides farms – stewards of Oxford County’s valuable agricultural resources – with an environmentally conscious way to dispose of their plastics.
As part of the program, Oxford County will provide collection bags to area farmers free of charge, which, when full, will go into a collection bin at the landfill. The plastics will then be shipped to a regional vendor for end-market processing. To obtain these collection bags, farmers can contact the landfill by emailing [email protected] or calling 1-800-755-0394.
The agricultural wrap pilot is another facet of Oxford County’s Zero Waste plan, as well as its goal of extending the life of its landfill to 2100.
More information about the program is available at www.wasteline.ca.