Silage Plastic Recycling Scheme

Dairy Australia is developing a national collection and recycling scheme for silage plastic with support from the Commonwealth Government’s National Product Stewardship Investment Fund.

Dairy Australia’s new Silage Plastic Recycling Scheme is being developed to support farmers to dispose of silage plastic responsibly and to avoid it ending up in landfill or being burned or buried. 

A key stage of the scheme development is a trial from April 2022 to January 2023 based in Western Victoria which will involve up to 100 farmers across dairy and other industries that use silage.   

The trial outcomes will be used to develop recommendations for a final scheme design which has strong input from farmers and is practical, sustainable, and commercially feasible. The scheme is being initiated by Dairy Australia to support the industry’s target of implementing a system that collects and recycles 100% of silage wrap in the dairy industry by 2030. 

How it works

Farmers who register to participate in the silage plastic recycling scheme will be provided with a free recycling bin and special plastic liners for storing their used silage plastic in.

Once net wrap (which can’t be recycled) has been separated from the bale wrap and farmers have shaken off any large solids, the plastic silage wrap is stored in the lined bin. Once the bin is full, the liners are tied off and farmers can drop off the plastic at a local collection centre (for free) or contact Dairy Australia’s Farm Plastics Recycling Trial Coordinator using the instructions given below to arrange on-farm pick up (paying a small fee for this service). The plastic is then taken to a recycling centre where it will be processed and turned into pellets which can be used to make a wide range of recycled plastic products. 

Drop off sites

Drop-off locations and opening times for silage plastic recycling trial are:

How to book a collection

To book a collection, farmers registered to participate in the trial should send an email to RecyclingTrial@dairyaustralia.com.au. 

Please include in the email: 

• Mobile number 

• Farm address 

• Amount of plastic ready for collection  

• Any special instructions that would help our collection truck drivers with the pick-up. 

• Photos of the plastic in location (if possible).

Please note that plastic collection runs will take place once we are able to fill a truck in your area, which means it may take a couple of weeks between when you request a pick-up and when the truck actually arrives to make the collection.

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