Your realistic options for used net wrap in 2026. Three paths exist for most producers:
- On-farm storage: Collect removed wrap in 55-gallon drums or contractor bags; drop off at your local landfill when full.
- Agricultural plastic recycling programs: If your region has one (like Revolution Plastics' Ag Bag program or state initiatives), these are the best option—but they only cover about 15% of continental US producers.
- Open burning: Where legally permitted and with a burn permit. Increasingly restricted; check your county's air quality rules first.
Critical safety note: Net wrap is polyethylene. Don't burn it indoors, in a covered burn barrel, or in a traditional trash-bin fire. Incomplete combustion releases toxic dioxins and heavy metals. If you burn at all, do it in the open air where you have a permit.
Recycling reality: Yes, agricultural plastic recycling exists. No, it's not convenient for most of us. This article explains why and what to actually do about it.
What Used Net Wrap Actually Is (and Why Disposal Is Harder Than It Looks)
Net wrap—the plastic twine that holds a bale intact as it comes off the baler—is polyethylene. On its own, polyethylene can be recycled through industrial plastic-recycling streams. But net wrap that's been sitting on a bale for six months is not clean polyethylene. It's a matted, contaminated blend of:
- Polyethylene fibers
- Dried plant material and hay dust
- Soil and dirt residue
- Twine fragments and knots
- Possibly plastic baling twine if you mixed wrap and twine on the same bale
That contamination is the reason recyclers won't accept bulk farm net wrap in standard curbside or community recycling bins. Agricultural plastic has to be sorted, cleaned, and pre-processed before it enters the recycling stream, and that's expensive—more expensive than landfill disposal for most rural areas. Hence the gap: recycling infrastructure exists in some pockets of the US, but it's nowhere near universal.
Option 1: On-Farm Storage and Periodic Landfill Drop-Off
This is what most US producers do, and it's the method that works for the broadest audience.
The setup: Keep used net wrap out of the field (more on why in a moment) and store it on-farm in a contained space. The most practical container is a 55-gallon drum or an IBC tote (intermediate bulk container—the kind you see holding fertilizer or water on larger operations). Some producers use contractor bags (heavy-duty black trash bags rated for construction debris), stacked in a corner of the equipment shed.
The schedule: As you unroll wrap during feed-out, toss the compressed ball into the drum or bag. No sorting, no cleaning. When the drum is full (usually 3–6 months depending on herd size), load it into the pickup and haul it to your local landfill or transfer station. Many landfills accept agricultural plastic at standard disposal rates; some charge a premium; a few refuse it outright. Call your landfill ahead of time to confirm they accept ag plastic. If they don't, ask if they know of a regional ag-plastic drop point or if you need to contact a waste-management contractor.
Cost: Typically $15–$40 per drum, depending on landfill tipping fees in your region. It's a line item, but not a major one. And it beats the liability of having loose plastic wire anywhere near livestock or equipment.
Option 2: Agricultural Plastic Recycling Programs
If you live in a region with an ag-plastic recycler, this is the preferred option. Used net wrap goes to a specialized facility where it's cleaned, shredded, and remelted into new plastic products (bags, storage containers, or resin pellets for industrial use).
Major programs operating in 2026:
- Revolution Plastics' Ag Bag Program: Covers parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, South Dakota, and North Dakota. Accepts stored ag plastic wrap, bags, and twine. Free drop-off at satellite locations (you haul it). Some producers report convenience; others are 60+ miles from the nearest drop point.
- Agri-Plas: Oregon-based cooperative. Serves Washington, Oregon, and Idaho primarily. Accepts removed wrap and ag plastic film.
- Encore Plastics / Encorp: Scattered locations; check their website for participating states.
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State-run or cooperative initiatives:
- Wisconsin Department of Agriculture's Ag Plastic Recycling Resource
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency cooperative programs
- New York's Ag Plastic Recycling Project
The honest reality: These programs are excellent where they exist, and they're spreading—slowly. But as of 2026, most producers in the eastern half of the continental US, parts of the Upper Midwest, and scattered western regions do not have a recycler within practical hauling distance. If you live in a state not listed above, check with your county extension office or state Department of Agriculture; new programs launch occasionally.
Option 3: Open Burning—What's Legal and What's Not
In many states, producers have historically burned ag plastic on-farm, and some still do where it's legal. But regulations are tightening.
The legal landscape: Most states require a burn permit before burning agricultural plastic. Some states prohibit it entirely (California, Oregon, Washington, and parts of Nevada have broad restrictions). Many Midwest counties with designated non-attainment areas for air quality have banned or severely restricted ag plastic burning. Even where it's technically legal, local air-quality ordinances often overrule state law.
Before you burn: Call your state environmental agency (usually the Department of Environmental Quality or equivalent) and your county extension office. Ask explicitly: "Can I burn used net wrap on my property?" Write down the answer. If the answer is "yes," ask about permit requirements and seasonal windows (many states only allow burning in winter when atmospheric conditions are different).
The combustion problem: Net wrap is polyethylene. When burned completely (at sustained high temperature in an open flame), it breaks down relatively cleanly. But incomplete combustion—which is what happens in a farm burn barrel, under a roof, or in any enclosed or partially enclosed space—releases dioxins, furans, and heavy metals. These are serious toxins. Burning net wrap in a covered burn barrel, in a garage, or over a slow smoldering fire is not a casual disposal method. It's a health hazard to you and your neighbors.
The trend: Open burning of ag plastics is becoming less common and less socially acceptable. Unless you live in a rural area with explicit legal permission and low population density downwind, plan for landfill or recycling instead.
What NOT to Do—and Why These Mistakes Matter
Don't leave removed wrap in the field. Net wrap tangles with equipment (header plugs, feederhouse jams, PTO shafts). Livestock can ingest it—a real welfare issue covered in our article on cattle eating net wrap. And loose plastic interferes with weed control and future field operations.
Don't burn it in an enclosed or semi-enclosed space. This includes covered burn barrels, indoor burn rings, or any setup where air circulation is limited. The toxic byproducts of incomplete combustion are worse than the original disposal problem.
Don't mix it with regular trash if your waste hauler refuses agricultural plastic. It will jam sorting equipment at the landfill or transfer station, and you could face a fine. Ask your hauler first, or drop it off yourself.
Don't grind it into bales for feeding. Yes, producers on AgTalk have asked whether removed net wrap can be chopped up and mixed into a total mixed ration (TMR) or ground hay. The short answer: no. Plastic twine and polyethylene create blockage risks and don't digest. Your veterinarian and nutritionist will tell you the same thing. Remove it all before feeding.
The 5-Gallon-Bucket Method That Actually Works
One of the most useful producer tips from AgTalk forums is remarkably simple and surprisingly effective:
"Keep a 5-gallon bucket on the tractor or hay wagon. As you unroll each bale and remove the wrap, toss the compressed ball straight into the bucket. When the bucket is full, dump it into a 55-gallon drum in the equipment shed or garage. At the end of the season, haul the drums to the landfill. No loose plastic on the farm, no handling twice, no mess."
— Synthesized from producer discussion, AgTalk #746529
This method works because it:
- Separates the plastic immediately from the feed process. No risk of wrap mixing with hay or bedding.
- Keeps your hands off the plastic. Less contact = less chance of tangling in equipment or catching on gloves.
- Centralizes storage. One drum in the shed beats scattered bags or loose piles.
- Fits the rhythm of unrolling. You're already holding the wrap; the bucket is just three feet away.
The key: use a sturdy, food-grade 5-gallon bucket with a lid (the kind drywall compound or honey comes in). It won't blow over, won't splash plastic into the manure spreader, and is easy to grab and haul. Transfer the full bucket to the 55-gallon drum at the end of each day or week, depending on volume.
Producer Ideas That Don't Work (But Get Suggested Anyway)
AgTalk and other producer forums occasionally surface creative but impractical disposal ideas. A few that recur:
"Pump it through the manure system." Nope. Net wrap doesn't dissolve in manure or liquid, and it wraps around augers and impellers. You'll damage equipment.
"Use it as makeshift twine for the next bale." The tensile strength drops significantly once it's been compressed and exposed to weather. It breaks during wrapping, leaving you with an even messier disposal problem.
"Burn it in the winter when nobody's looking." This is the unsafe and potentially illegal approach mentioned earlier. Don't do it. The air-quality enforcement is real.
"Leave it on the bale until it rots off naturally." It doesn't rot. Polyethylene persists for decades. And in the meantime, it creates the livestock and equipment problems we discussed.
The Takeaway: Your 2026 Disposal Plan
Agricultural plastic recycling is improving, but it's improving slowly. New infrastructure is being built, and state-level regulations are supporting more drop-off locations and collection events. But as of mid-2026, the realistic disposal path for most continental US producers is still:
- On-farm collection in drums or contractor bags (using the 5-gallon-bucket method for immediate containment).
- Periodic landfill drop-off when the drum is full.
- Monitor for new programs in your region. Check with your state Department of Agriculture or extension office annually. Recycling programs are expanding; yours might get coverage within the next year or two.
If you do live within range of a recycling program like Revolution Plastics' Ag Bag Program or your state's initiative, absolutely use it. You're diverting plastic from the landfill, supporting infrastructure investment, and modeling good stewardship.
But for everyone else: landfill drop-off is the honest, practical, and legal option. It's not as satisfying as "recycling," and it's not zero-waste. But it beats the alternatives of open field storage, unsafe burning, or any of the creative workarounds that tend to damage equipment or endanger livestock.
The broader solution—making net wrap easier to recycle—is something manufacturers, recyclers, and farm organizations are working on. Until then, containment and landfill disposal remains the responsible choice for the vast majority of producers.
