Irrigation with Closed-Loop Dripline Recycling Furthered by $2 Million from CalRecycle To Netafim

A $2.01 million award from the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) will fund the expansion of Fresno-based Netafim’s closed-loop recycling operation to collect, shred, wash, and pelletize an additional 9,612 tons per year of used irrigation tubing at the end of the material’s useful life. The grant comes from CalRecycle through the state’s Recycled Fiber, Plastic, and Glass Grant Program and will allow the recycled materials to be remanufactured into new irrigation tubing.

Netafim USA, a subsidiary of Netafim Ltd, first pioneered the process of utilizing recycled content in the manufacturing of driplines as a way to meet LEED green building rating and certification requirements. Netafim has made significant investments in research and testing since opening their California-based recycling facility in 2007. They have perfected a proprietary process that enables the use of recycled content in the manufacturing of driplines will maintaining the performance and quality standards that customers and growers expect from the company.

“Today’s farmer is under increased pressure to minimize the environmental impact of farming and enhance their supply chain sustainability,” said Mike Hemman, president and CEO of Netafim USA. “As the industry leader, it is our responsibility to extend our focus beyond innovative drip irrigation technologies to also include developing and implementing processes for minimizing the impact that plastic waste has on the environment.”

Netafim’s has also recently launched a new product — Streamline X ReGen — an innovative dripline designed for short-cycle crop agricultural applications that contains material from recycled driplines. The agricultural community refers to short-cycle crops are those products that have a life span of maximum two years or as those agricultural crops which can be grown quickly such as tomatoes, green onions, kale, bok choy, lettuce and okra amongst others.

“The grant will allow us to expand our recycling operation and strengthen our commitment to sustainable agriculture. Our recent launch of Streamline X Regen, our new dripline removal and collection service, and the irrigation industry’s first wholly-owned recycling facility underscore our commitment to sustainable agriculture,” added Hemman.

In addition to agricultural driplines Netafim also manufactures drip irrigation systems for landscape & turf, greenhouse and nursery applications, mining and wastewater. The company offers an extensive range of irrigation solutions including driplines, filters, sprinklers, valves, water meters and automation equipment for complete dripline system installations to aid in water and waste water conservation.