Farmers urged to recycle silage wrap

With most supplementary feeding due to the dry conditions, Wellington Shire Council is urging farmers to collect the wrapping from their silage for recycling.

Recycling silage wrap not only helps farmers to reduce their agricultural waste it also promotes the ‘clean, green’ image of the farming industry in our local area.

The benefits of recycling silage wrap include minimising contamination in the environment by not burying or burning the disused wrap, and it eliminates risk of stock eating silage wrap, which leads to digestion problems.

Recycling silage wrap is better than it going into landfill, burning silage wrap releases harmful chemicals into the atmosphere, and it is illegal to bury it.

When farmers are feeding out silage, it is important to separate the silage wrap from the net wrap. The wrap can be recycled, but net wrap or baling twine cannot. Silage wrap and pit covers need to be shaken free of loose materials and packed into bulka bags.

The recycled silage wrap is sent to Melbourne for reprocessing in to items such as building and fencing materials, floor matting and black builder's plastic.

Farmers can pick up second-hand bulka bags for free from Sale Depot, Finegan Court, Sale. The silage wrap collection will be at held at Kilmany and Yarram transfer stations from Monday 16 July to Monday 13 August, from 8am-5pm.

Council is offering a subsidised fee for disposal, at $11 per bulka bag.

For further information, contact Council’s Sustainability Projects Officer on 1300 366 244.

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