Farm Silage Wrap

Silage or baleage wrap is made of low-density polyethylene, a recyclable plastic that can be made into products for use elsewhere on the farm.

As a waste stream, silage wrap accounts for about 2000 tonnes recycled by Plaswrap each year. Plaswrap estimates that currently 30% of all plastic wrap used by farmers in New Zealand is coming back through the recycling scheme. There is obviously room for improvement here.

Edible bale net may provide an answer. Kiwi Eco Net, an edible bale net for baleage, hay and straw, won the open section in the Southern Rural Life Farm Innovation Awards in February 2024.

An alternative to wrapping baleage into individual plastic wrapped parcels, is to place it in a concrete bunker on the side of a bank, so that chopped grass can be dumped in at the top and drawn from the bottom in winter. 

Baleage can also be placed in large heaps on the ground and rolled by tractor to push out all the air, then wrapped in a plastic cover held tight by tyres.

Farm silage wrap can be recycled.

Shake, roll, stuff - keep the wrap as clean as possible by immediately collecting it, shaking off the excess grass/mud, rolling it into a ball and stuffing it into a drum/container/bag for collection.

Phone Plasback on 0508 338 240 to book a collection or visit www.plasback.co.nz

Please keep from landfill wherever possible.