Written answers

Tuesday, 19 October 2004

Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government

Waste Disposal

8:00 pm

Photo of Michael RingMichael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 574: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the entitlements of farmers to the collection of plastic silage wrap and bale wrap in view of the fact that they are taxed a collection fee when paying for the wrap; the details of the collection agreement in place with the relevant collection companies; and the persons whom the farmers can contact when the wrap is not collected for more than 12 months. [25073/04]

Photo of Dick RocheDick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Under the Waste Management (Farm Plastics) Regulations 2001, producers, that is, manufacturers and importers, of farm plastics — silage bale wrap and sheeting — are required to take steps to recover farm plastics waste which they have placed on the market or alternatively to contribute to, and participate in, compliance schemes to recover the waste in question. The farm plastics recovery scheme operated by the Irish Farm Film Producers Group, IFFPG, is the sole approved body in Ireland for the purposes of implementing a compliance scheme for farm plastics waste and has operated successfully to date.

Under the IFFPG scheme, producers apply a levy on the sale of farm plastics which in turn is transferred to the IFFPG for use in funding the collection and recovery of farm plastics waste. Farmers can contact a freephone telephone number operated by the IFFPG to arrange the collection of farm plastics waste from their farms. This freephone number can be obtained from the retail outlet from which the farm plastics was purchased. The engagement of collection companies to collect farm plastics waste is a matter for the IFFPG. My Department is not aware of any significant problems in the current operation of the scheme. If the Deputy is aware of any particular problem in this area I will ask my Department to follow up the matter.

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