Eco-Pak & Agrecovery: Greener agrichemical practices

The old saying ‘what goes around, comes around’ is literally true of recycling, which benefits both the economy and the planet, but the stakes are a lot higher for agrichemical containers than most other packaging. Their efficient collection and re-use contribute not only to a safer working and living environment on farms, orchards, and vineyards but also help reduce costs and emissions.

Tim Herman, Senior Technical Services Specialist – Crop Protection for BASF New Zealand Ltd, explains, “The nature of agrichemical products means they require containers that can resist chemical breakdown. So most, if not all, agrichemical containers are made of high-density polyethylene (HDPE), a thermoplastic material that is mainly produced from fossil fuels. When they’re made from scratch, such containers have a large carbon footprint: the production of 1 kg of polyethylene (including HDPE) emits around 1.5 kg of CO2. If an agrichemical container is then burnt after it has been used, another 3 kg of CO2 is released. No wonder there’s a global push to recycle agrichemical containers and reduce waste.”

Over a decade ago, BASF introduced the Eco-pak container. It brought improved ergonomics by introducing a central spout, rotating handle and textured surface that make handling and pouring safer. The Eco-pak containers use 25 percent less plastic than other containers, not only lowering their production footprint but also reducing the amount of waste. Even the HDPE lid is recyclable.

“In New Zealand, our team at BASF was proud to help the rest of the agrichemical industry facilitate the recycling of agrichemical containers and has been involved with Agrecovery, the not-for-profit organisation that runs the recycling scheme, since it began.”

BASF and Yara worked with Agrecovery in 2021 to start recycling LDPE plastic bags. Agrecovery recently reported that there are now almost 60 different brands in the LDPE scheme, which recycled 45 tonnes of bags in 2024.

“BASF implements a global Circular Economy Programme which continues to evolve as we move further away from the traditional linear, take-make-dispose system to ones that keep increasing the use of recycled and renewable ingredients. These recycling or circular economies aim to continuously recover and reuse ingredients, reducing waste and pollution.”

Like Agrecovery, Tim says BASF processes are independently audited and certified to support end-users’ drive to meet market demands to lower carbon footprints.

All of this relies on the end-users, reiterates Tim. “We all need growers to support these schemes to ensure they are continued. Luckily, taking part at the most basic level is very simple and it’s in everyone’s interest to get used bags and containers off their land into a relevant recycling programme. Not only does it protect people, pets and livestock, ultimately it supports the sustainable production and global reputation of high-quality New Zealand food and fibre.

“The ongoing improvement in our industry’s recycling practices is entirely a good news story and we can all feel satisfied to be playing our small part.”