Vegetable production can result in the creation of large amounts of unwanted materials or waste products. Waste can create problems for growers (related to disposal), the community and the environment. Whilst dealing with waste is often not of priority for an individual grower, there is concern at an industry level that waste products are not appropriately managed.

There are two main sources of waste: organic waste, generated through the production and processing of vegetables; and waste related to the input products used in vegetable production systems (e.g. plastics, chemicals).

The Australian vegetable industry is currently looking at the feasibility of alternative use of vegetable waste on-farm, and processing and reuse of waste. Plastics are primarily persistent waste materials, but degradable alternatives are used to a limited extent. Plastics represent the greatest volume of persistent input products and are used in a variety of ways on vegetable farms due to their suitability and versatility. However, there are some challenges in the disposal and recycling of plastics at end of life.

This project engaged with the industry, growers, plastic providers and plastic processors to:

• Determine the key sources, management, volume and cost of on-farm plastic by state and growing region
• Identify different plastic processing opportunities, financial costs and benefits and associated logistics of each option
• Assess the feasibility of available and emerging processing opportunities for on-farm plastic waste.

The following plastic products were the focus of the project:

• Irrigation pipe
• Plastic mulch sheeting
• Polytunnels and protective housing
• Trays e.g. seedlings, bed trays
• Chemical containers.