Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 18 May 2021

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Farm Plastics Recycling: Discussion

Mr. James Fitzgerald:

I will address the Chairman's first question. In relation to the capital requirement, we would estimate funding of the order of €4 million to €5 million to get a facility up and running with robust equipment fit for purpose. In relation to the farm plastics, it is not only about the facility. There is also an issue in relation to the marketing of the granules that are produced and of the product for that. If we think on a more global basis in relation to plastic marketing, the global situation in processing is owned by large conglomerates, some of which employ up to 50,000 people. We would need possibly to team up or in some way link in with a large external outfit that is already involved in this. There is much to be said for that rather than reinventing the wheel or that particular model.

I am sorry, Chairman. I missed your second question there on the stockpiling by IFFPG.