Container Recycling
Don’t burn or dump – it’s free to recycle!
Agrecovery provides free recycling for plastic containers from over 3000 of the most common ag-chem, animal health and dairy hygiene products sold into the New Zealand market.
So let’s make burning and dumping a thing of the past!
1. Prepare your containers
Containers must be:
- Plastic, 0-60 litres in size, with lid removed
- Free from chemical residue and dirt inside and out – triple rinsing is recommended and the container must be well drained
2. Check participating brand owners
Only containers from participating brand owners are free to recycle. Look for the Agrecovery logo on the pack or check our brand owner listing. Please leave the label on for identification at the collection site.
3. Find your local collection site
There are over 90 collection sites nationwide, plus collection events in areas without a permanent site.
Large users (300+ containers) can request on-property collection.
4. Take your containers to site
All containers are inspected before they can be accepted to ensure the health and safety of site and processing staff, and to ensure plastic is not contaminated for recycling.
Quick Links
Helpful information to get you started with Container recycling.
- How is container recycling funded? Participating Brand Owners pay a levy to the Agrecovery Foundation based on their sales volume into the NZ market. Combined levy funds are used to cover all programme costs, enabling free access to farmers and growers.
- What should I do with containers from non-participating brand owners? User-pays stickers can be purchased from Agrecovery and applied to containers from non-brand owners prior to recycling. Better yet, switch to an Agrecovery brand, or convince your supplier to get with the programme!
- What happens to my containers? Containers are recycled here in New Zealand into safe end uses, predominantly underground cable cover.
- Is this a government accredited programme? Agrecovery Containers is accredited by the Minister for the Environment as a Product Stewardship Programme under the Waste Minimisation Act 2008. Read the Accreditation Summary.
- Can I get proof of my recycling for audit reports? You can download recycling reports through the Members Section of the website.