Netafim Opens Agricultural Recycling Plant in Culiacan
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Netafim Opens Agricultural Recycling Plant in Culiacan

Photo by:   AzmanL - Unsplash
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Eliza Galeana By Eliza Galeana | Junior Journalist & Industry Analyst - Fri, 10/28/2022 - 11:12

On October 26, Netafim began operations at Mexico’s largest agricultural plastic recycling plant located in Culiacan, Sinaloa. According to the Israeli company, its main goal is to cater to and encourage the reuse of plastic and contribute to a more sustainable agricultural industry.

The plant has an initial capacity to recycle more than 3,000t/y of plastic and will benefit farmers from Baja California, Sonora, Sinaloa and Chihuahua. Farmers will be able to carry used drip irrigation hoses to the collection center, where they will be crushed, washed and then converted into pellets, to be turned into new hoses.

John Farner, Sustainability Director, Netafim, explained the recycling plant covers an area of 40,000m2. It will be powered by a photovoltaic solar system, including a processed water recirculation system and a laboratory to ensure that the recycled pellets meet high-quality standards.

Netafim decided to place the plant in Culiacan since Sinaloa is considered one of the main agricultural producers in the country. "Mexico is one of our five most relevant markets worldwide. Our facility in Culiacan will provide farmers in the region with an efficient, holistic and rewarding solution to help them achieve their sustainability goals," said Farner. 

Farner highlighted the importance of recycling infrastructure for the agricultural sector: “Last year, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) highlighted the disastrous way plastic is used in agriculture around the world and called on the industry to act on the issue.” According to agricultural ministry SADER, Mexico’s agricultural balance accounted for US$44.4 billion in 2021, which involved the production of more than 300,000 tons of plastic waste. "Netafim’s global ReGen Circularity Program drives our mission to make agriculture more environmentally responsible," Farner added.

Netafim focuses on precision irrigation as a solution to water waste. “Grow bigger, better yields every season, with fewer resources,” its website reads. The company also carries out a program focused on "zero waste in the field," as well as the recycling of agricultural plastic. The Israeli company has a plant in Fresno, California, and other circularity programs in Australia, Israel, Peru, Chile and Spain. In recent years, it has recycled more than 170,000 tons of plastic around the world.

Photo by:   AzmanL - Unsplash

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