The Ag Container Recycling Council (ACRC) recently announced
that their contractors collected the 200 millionth pound (200,000,000) of
high density polyethylene (HDPE) since the program was started in 1992.
The first 100 million pound milestone was accomplished in 2008 after 16 years
of collection. This second 100 million pound milestone was accomplished
in only 11 years. Based on the current pace of collection the next 100 million
pound milestone is expected to occur in less than 7 years.
Our nation’s
aerial applicators can take pride in this accomplishment in that they are major
partners with ACRC contractors in recycling their HDPE pesticide
containers. Aerial applicators treat 28% of our nation’s commercial
cropland according to NAAA’s 2019 Aerial Application Industry Survey.
This does not include pasture and rangeland, forestry, aquatic, public health,
right away and other vegetative management applications done by air.
Using this percentage of 28%, aerial applicators are responsible for helping to
recycle 56 million pounds of HDPE in the past decade and a half.
To put it in perspective of what 200 million pounds is
equivalent to, 2.5 gallon jugs laid end to end would circle the earth almost
2.3 times and would, similarly, they make enough 6” ag drain pipe to cover the
same distance; recycling that much plastic is an energy-savings equivalent to
43,019,361 gallons of gasoline; and recycling that much plastic is equivalent
to the energy consumption of 57,518 average American houses for a year.
End-uses of this recycled HDPE is used for the following:
- Agriculture drain pipe
- Highway sign posts
- Highway and agricultural fence posts
- Underground utility conduit
- Wire and cable spool (reel) flanges
- Agrochemical composite IBC platforms
- Industrial pallets for ag chemical and seed packaging
- Rebar chairs
- Landscape edging
- Nursery Pots
If you would like more information about recycling pesticide
containers visit the Ag Container Recycling Council at http://www.acrecycle.org, or information@acrecycle.org or call
at (877) 952-2272. ACRC is also longtime exhibitor at the Ag Aviation
Expo. Visit them in Orlando, Florida November 18-21st at booth
number 711.
 recently announced
that their contractors collected the 200 millionth pound (200,000,000) of
high density polyethylene (HDPE) since the program was started in 1992.
The first 100 million pound milestone was accomplished in 2008 after 16 years
of collection. This second 100 million pound milestone was accomplished
in only 11 years.){kind=small}
