We’re expanding our efforts to enhance recycling processes across New Zealand.
Further to our initial pilot in Southland last year, which resulted in the collection of more than 605 tonnes of farm plastics, our next phase will kick off in the Hurunui District in North Canterbury in early 2025. 
The pilot will see us collaborating with local partners to collect farm plastic at a designated drop off location from mid-February to mid-March 2025. The Waipawa Winehouse has been proposed as the drop-off site.
We are working with community groups, the Hurunui Council, and Plasback, who recently set up a new recycling facility in the region equipped with a baler and shredder specifically for processing farm plastics. We plan to engage local community groups to assist in managing the drop-off site, ensuring the smooth operation and fostering community involvement.
This expansion demonstrates our commitment to developing a robust recycling framework that not only addresses current waste challenges but also informs the design of a future regulatory scheme for farm plastics. The insights gained will be instrumental as we refine this model for rollout across other regions, enhancing our collective efforts towards sustainability.
The learnings from the pilots will help inform future drop off and collection events around the country and how we operationalise these activities in the future.
We look forward to sharing more updates as we progress through this pivotal phase of our pilot programme.