Greenhouse Plastic Recycling Fact Sheet
Eligibility:
All Maine greenhouses, high tunnels, and plastic covered ag structures.
Registration:
Participants must pre-register online. Registration will open soon. Walk-in registration may be available at some drop-off sites.
No 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:
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.
Material 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:
The collection will start at most locations in early April/May June. Outdoor drop-off sites will close in the fall before the snow/ice season. Indoor sites will remain open through early December.
Drop-off sites:
A network of convenient sites is being developed throughout Maine. Many outdoor drop-off sites will be accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Please see our interactive online map for locations and site-specific information.
Larger operations may qualify for on-site collection.
How to Recycle
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1. Remove old plastic and cut into pieces weighing approximately 50 lbs.
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2. Fold plastic into a square bundle to fit the dimensions of a standard wood pallet.
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3. Label plastic bundles with your name and bundle numbers (e.g. 1 of 4).
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4. Register bundles for drop-off online or in person.
Click on image or caption to view and download PDFs:
To request a PDF of the PowerPoint slides, please email David McDaniel at agplasticrecycling@maine.edu.
Contact
For more information, contact program manager David McDaniel at agplasticrecycling@maine.edu or 207.342.5971 (UMaine Extension Waldo County office).
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