New Zealand will introduce a country-wide rural recycling system on 1 March 2027, which is designed to lift the collection of farm plastics. 

The new scheme will establish a nationwide take-back system for packaging, specifically agrichemical containers, bale wrap, and silage sheet, to replace the existing voluntary programmes. 

Environment minister Nicola Grigg said the framework will apply a small charge to relevant products at the producer level.  

The money raised will fund a no-cost national network of drop-off points and collection services. 

Approximately 240 existing regional take-back locations are set to be enlarged as part of the rollout, with added capacity for higher volumes of rural plastics entering recycling channels. 

Current voluntary arrangements will remain in place until the Rural Recycling Scheme begins. 

The collection network will not be limited to farms and growers.  

Users of agrichemicals and farm plastics in forestry, manufacturing, hospitality, tourism and sport will also be able to use the service, along with councils and contractors. 

At present, the voluntary programmes run by Agrecovery and Plasback capture less than half of the plastics covered by the scheme, according to Grigg.  

The new system is intended to raise recycling and recovery rates and cut the amount of farm plastics that are landfilled, buried or burned on farms. 

Grigg said: “The scheme has been designed by industry and - with the support of farmers—will significantly increase the recovery and recycling of farm plastics. It will be managed by the not-for-profit Agrecovery Foundation. 

“We’ve listened to feedback from farmers and growers who wanted a simple take-back system that is easy to use and can take all the usual plastic farm products into one recycling system. 

“Recycling services will operate in tandem with collection services for agrichemicals, making it easier to safely manage unused end-of-life products.”