Rural waste prevention and management

• Separating different recycling categories including metal, used oil, glass and plastic (separated into different plastic types) will make these products more likely to remain recyclable.
• If green and organic wastes are separated from non-organic wastes this will allow them to be composted or treated for reuse.
• Separate hazardous wastes (including treated timber, agrichemicals, paints and solvents, and batteries) so that these are appropriately disposed of or recycled rather than put in a farm landfill.

Below is our guide to waste management by type of material.

Waste management by material

Treated timber

Treated timber contains toxic chemicals such as chromium, copper and arsenic. When treated timber is burned, some of these chemicals are released into the air, while some remain are concentrated in the ash, where they can pollute land and water.

Treated timber should never be disposed of by burning. The only safe and legal way to dispose of treated timber is Canterbury by dropping it to a transfer station or engineered, Class 1 landfill.

Farm plastics

Many of the plastics from products used on the farm can be recycled and used as a resource. Farm plastics are now recognised as one of the six priority products under the national waste strategy. 

In general, if you are aiming to recycle plastic products, clean them and store them, sorted into different types, out of the weather.

The two main rural plastics recycling companies are Agrecovery and Plasback. To learn more about on-farm plastic recycling in your area, visit their websites, talk to your local council, or get in touch with a land management advisor.

The table below provides a quick guide for farm plastic recycling currently (July 2024) available in Canterbury. For more detailed and up-to-date information please refer to the recycling provider website.

Scrap metal

Many types of scrap metal can be recycled, including roofing iron, wire, old vehicle parts, staples and fixings. Not all metal recyclers accept wire, so call and check first.

For details on metal recyclers in your area, visit your local council's website. Some companies will collect scrap metal from your farm and even pay you for it. Combining scrap metal with neighbouring farmers is a good idea for easy recycling. Just keep it separate from other recyclable products and general waste.

Agrichemical management

Agrichemicals are widely used in New Zealand to manage pests and diseases or eradicate weeds and pests. They are applied on agricultural, horticultural and arable farms as well on areas of forestry, native bush and public spaces.

The government's Hazardous Substances Toolbox has a guide to the rules for any hazardous chemicals used on your farm. It includes detailed information on:

• safe agrichemical storage and handling
• record keeping requirements
• disposal requirements
• emergency preparation.

Use the workbook and the calculator to help you complete a hazardous substances inventory and to evaluate any key hazardous substance requirements which apply to your farm.

WorkSafe and the Environmental Protection Agency also have useful information about hazardous substances.

How to dispose of agrichemicals

Responsible agrichemical disposal practices protect people and the environment by preventing the contamination of land and potential risks to human health.

We are a supporter of the Agrecovery programme, which provides a solution for the disposal of unwanted chemicals, and the recycling of empty containers, drums, IBCs, and more.

They have fixed sites and on-farm collections for large items or large quantities of containers.

To register chemicals for collection visit Agrecovery.

Banned and illegal agrichemicals

New Zealand is a signatory to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, an international treaty to ban some of the most toxic chemicals that pose serious risks to human health and the environment. 

The Ministry for the Environment has a list of the now-banned Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), their description, and examples of their previous use in New Zealand.

Due to their high toxicity, POPs were commonly used as pesticides, insecticides and fungicides. However, they remain intact for a very long time and are toxic to both humans and wildlife.

Common POPs include chlorinated pesticides (organochlorine pesticides) such as dieldrin, DDT, endosulfan, lindane and aldrin. A detailed list of POPs is included in the proposed EPA notice to control how persistent organic pollutants are managed and disposed of in Aotearoa New Zealand. This notice is due to be finalised in 2024.

More guidance on waste management

The Rural Waste Minimisation Project (RWMP) was completed in 2018. It helped us to better understand the nature of waste on farms and to identify sustainable alternatives to burning, burial and bulk storage of waste. 

• Download the New Zealand rural waste minimisation project report (PDF file, 7.65MB)

For more guidance on waste management, contact your local Land Management Advisor or the manufacturer of the product in question.