Ag Container Recycling

1
Ag Container Recycling

• NASDA Natural Resources and Pesticide Committee
• Jay Vroom
• President and CEO
• CropLife America
• February 18, 2006

2
ACRC Collections 1989-2005
Estimated 8.0
Plastic collected in 2004 was 36 of total
plastic reported by ACRC member companies.
ACRC founded
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COLLECTION
INSPECTION
RECYCLING
CONSOLIDATION
4
Total Industry Investment in ACRC

• Investments in
• Collection (84)
• More than 80 million pounds of plastic containers
  collected and recycled to date.
• Research (5)
• Safely clean empty containers.
• Safely handle and process plastic.
• Suitable recycled products to manufacture.
• Ensuring public health and safety.
• Program Administration (7)
• Administration
• Collection program oversight
• Outreach (4)
• Education and training
• Collection program promotion
• Partnership building

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To Recycle 8 Million Lbs of Ag Plastic Requires

• Municipalities, state associations and retailers
  working together to serve as collection sites
• State government coordination through Department
  of Ags and extension
• All ag plastic in the U.S. is ultimately
  collected by contractors paid by the Ag Container
  Recycling Council (ACRC)
• 30 CLA member companies solely fund the ACRC 4 M
  budget
• ACRC is a condition of membership of CLA
• CLA membership is NOT required to join ACRC

6
Ag Plastic Recycling Faces Challenges

• U.S recycling performance is uneven-some states
  receive better service than others
• All successful states have retailer, state
  department of Ag, state association, and ACRC
  partnership
• Some states are considering mandatory programs
• Patch work of recycling programs will increase
  products cost to farmers
• Only 30 CLA member companies fund ACRC---a
  program that serves the entire industry

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CLA Strategy to Address Fairness Issue

• The cost of recycling programs such as ACRC
  should remain the responsibility of registrants
• CLA has requested an EPA federal rule that
  requires registrants to participate in a EPA
  recognized recycling program (like ACRC) OR
  operate their own recycling program
• CLA has requested EPA to amend the Container and
  Containment rule after its finalized early next
  year to include recycling

8
Action Item Request Letter to Steve Johnson

• Pesticide one way plastic container recycling
  remains voluntary for farmers and retailers
• Triple rinsed pesticide containers remain non
  hazardous waste and can be legally landfilled
• A federal recycling solution as opposed to 50
  state programs
• A federal rule that makes it registrants
  responsibility to financially support the
  opportunity for farmers and retailers to recycle
  

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Many Thanks To Commissioners That Have Sent
Letters to Steve JohnsonPlease Continue to Send
in Your Letters of Support