Agrecovery

The Agrecovery Foundation was established in 2006 to address persistent ‘on-farm’ waste issues, as stakeholders recognised that farmers and growers in New Zealand needed a sustainable solution. The Foundation is a non-profit charitable trust and its recovering and recycling services for containers and chemicals are accredited Product Stewardship Schemes under the Waste Minimisation Act 2008. The Trustees of the trust are accountable for the strategic direction of the Foundation and represent key areas of the primary sector (Agcarm, Horticulture New Zealand, Federated Farmers of New Zealand, Local Government, DairyNZ and the Rural Contractors Association). The Foundation is part of a worldwide network of similar national schemes affiliated to CropLife International’s standards. The purpose of the Foundation is to: promote and develop viable product stewardship programmes promote environmentally sound waste management practices in the primary sector support product priority status bring together key stakeholders Today the Foundation provides New Zealand farmers and growers with nationwide programmes for container recycling, drum recovery and the collection of unwanted or expired chemicals. The brand owners affiliated with the Foundation are pivotal to the continuity of the scheme. The brand owners distribute agrichemical, animal health and diary hygiene products into the New Zealand market take responsibility for the disposal of these products and their packaging at the end of their useful life by paying a levy to cover the programme costs.