Aug 1 - Encore Benefits Yolo Farmers, Environment
Yolo County farmers can avoid costly landfill fees and recycle agricultural plastic in an environmentally sustainable way thanks to a new partnership between the Yolo County Landfill and Encore Farming Solutions.
According to the Daily Democrat, Encore Farming Solutions (Encore Recycling), which has a facility in Vernon, and will soon open a new facility in Salinas, will partner with the Yolo County Landfill to accept agricultural plastics that they will then recycle and turn into reusable plastic bags. Items accepted include irrigation drip tape, almond film plastic, HDPE plastic grape cover and greenhouse film plastic.
"Not only will this program save landfill space, it is also expected to save Yolo County growers $45,000 per year for every 1,000 acres farmed," said Yolo County Board of Supervisors Chairman Duane Chamberlain.
This program resolves a common waste issue for farmers in Yolo County and at the same time produces a sustainable product that will help reduce the number of single-use plastic bags being used by consumers. A recent study showed that reusable plastic bags made from recycled plastic, such as the ones from Encore Recycling, can be more sustainable than single-use plastic bags when used as few as 8 times.
Even when properly disposed, single-use plastic bags are easily picked up by the wind and transported into storm drains, creeks, streams and eventually the ocean. Single use plastic bags disproportionately impact the solid waste and recycling stream and persist in the environment even after they have broken down.
Find out more about CAW’s work to end single use plastic bags.