Greenhouse Plastic Recycling Fact Sheet

state of Maine outline icon for fact sheetEligibility:

All Maine greenhouses, high tunnels, and plastic covered ag structures.

registration icon for fact sheetRegistration:

Registration for 2021 will open on May 10. Participants must pre-register online. For assistance with registration, please contact the Waldo County Extension office at 207.342.5971.

icon for no fee for recycling fact sheetNo Fee:

Funding is provided by a State of Maine DEP Waste Diversion grant. Affiliated partners generously donating additional time and resources include MOFGA, USDA NRCS – Maine, and the Maine Resource Recovery Association.

material collected icon for recycling fact sheetMaterial collected:

Low-density polyethylene #4 (LDPE #4) clear plastic used to cover greenhouses, high tunnels, hoop houses, and other agricultural structures. The film is normally 5-6 mil thick. It must be relatively clean and dry. The program will also accept white overwintering plastic bundled separately from clear plastic.

materials not collected icon graphic for recycling fact sheetMaterial not collected:

Plastic saturated with water, ice or snow at the time of drop-off. Dirty plastic that has been repurposed, i.e., used for ground tarping or solarization. Certain specialty covers, i.e., reinforced woven film, colored films, solar bubble wrap, polycarbonate panels, etc. Non-structural mulch films, silage wrap, and boat wrap.

program dates icon for recycling fact sheetProgram dates:

2021 collection will begin May 17. Most sites will be accepting pre-registered bundles through December 17. Please check the dates and hours of operation for individual sites.

drop off sites icon for recycling fact sheet web pageDrop-off sites:

A network of convenient sites has been developed throughout Maine. Please check each site for days and hours of operation. Please see our interactive online map for locations and site-specific information.

Larger operations may qualify for on-site collection.

Click on image or caption to view and download PDFs:

Greenhouse Plastic Recycling Fact Sheet
Greenhouse Plastic Recycling Fact Sheet (PDF)
Ag Trade Show PowerPoint Summary (PDF)

 

Contact

For more information, contact program manager Matt Wallhead at agplasticrecycling@maine.edu or 207.581.2949.

The University of Maine is an EEO/AA employer and does not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, transgender status, gender expression, national origin, citizenship status, age, disability, genetic information or veteran’s status in employment, education, and all other programs and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies: Director of Equal Opportunity, 101 North Stevens Hall, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469-5754, 207.581.1226, TTY 711 (Maine Relay System).