Welcome to our Farm Waste Reduction Project! Funded by a Public Participation Grant from the Washington State Department of Ecology, this initiative tackles the issue of agricultural plastic waste in Washington.

Please see a fact sheet about the project and the results of our farmer survey about the use of the durable alternatives: Farm Plastic Waste Reduction Fact Sheet 2025

Please see a report about the project – Farm-Scale Plastic Waste Reduction, Pilot Projects in Western Washington State (June 2025): Farm-Scale Plastic Waste Reduction June 2025

Big thank you to our Advisory Committee Members and Collection Site Partners for helping guide the project.

Since the project’s launch, we’ve interviewed over 50 farmers across Snohomish, King, Kitsap, Pierce, and nearby counties to better understand waste challenges and identify solutions. From these conversations, we conducted three pilot projects in Spring 2025 aimed at reducing plastic waste and supporting sustainable farming practices:

  1. Nursery Tray 50% Cost-Share Project
  2. Free Reusable CSA/Delivery Box Trial
  3. Nursery Tray and Pot Recycling Events

Project #1: Cost-Share (50%) for Durable Nursery Trays

Many farmers rely on nursery trays to grow their crops, but traditional trays often break quickly and end up in landfills. Our Cost-Share Project provides farmers with durable, long-lasting nursery trays at half the cost. These trays are designed to last for decades, significantly reducing waste and the need for frequent replacements.

How It Worked
Farmers in King, Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish counties could order Winstrip durable nursery trays and pay just 50% of their cost, $4.25 per tray. They could then pickup their trays at a location near them in May.

Project #2: Free Trial of Reusable CSA/Delivery Boxes

Our Free Trial Project provided farmers with reusable CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)/Delivery boxes to test out. These durable boxes are designed for hundreds of uses and are recyclable at the end of their life, making them an excellent alternative to waxed boxes, which are not recycleable.

How It Worked
Farmers could sign up to receive free samples of reusable CSA boxes. During the trial, we gathered feedback to find out if these boxes meet farmers’ needs.

Project #3: Nursery Tray Collection & Recycling Events

Plastic nursery trays, pots, and cell packs often end up in the landfill due to limited recycling options. Our Nursery Tray Collection & Recycling Project provided farmers with a convenient way to recycle these items. We partnered with DTG for collection.

How the Program Worked

Collection events were held at the following locations

  • DTG Recycle Renton, 701 SW 34th St, Renton, WA 98057
  • DTG Spectrum Facility, 24105 Snohomish Woodinville Rd, Woodinville, WA 98072
  • Olympic Organics, 6068 State HWY 303 NE, Bremerton, WA 98311
  • DTG Recycle Tacoma, 2117 E River St, Tacoma, WA 98421

Accepted Items:

  • Black or other color plastic nursery trays and pots made from the following:
    1. Polystyrene (#6)
    2. Polypropylene (#5)
  • High Density Polyethylene (#2)
  • Items must be free of large amounts of organic material or debris

Not Accepted:

  • Non plastic items like ceramic, metal, or fiber pots
  • Biodegradable plastics
  • PET plastic (#1), PVC plastic (#3), and LDPE plastic (#4)

Please see a fact sheet about the project and the results of our farmer survey about the use of the durable alternatives: Farm Plastic Waste Reduction Fact Sheet 2025

This project was funded through a Public Participation Grant from the Washington State Department of Ecology