Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 165: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will extend the farm plastics collection scheme to County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30919/06]

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 186: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will include all counties in the next spring clean pilot project where local authorities organise special open days to allow farmers to bring their stockpiled farm plastic waste to designated facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30970/06]

Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 343: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his plans to increase the level of recycling of farm plastics; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31243/06]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 165, 186 and 343 together.

To address the issue of accumulated backlogs of farm plastic, designated facilities are being provided on a temporary, once-off basis by local authorities where farmers may deposit stockpiled farm film plastic and silage wrap. This arrangement operated on a pilot basis in the first instance in counties Galway, Clare, Mayo, Offaly and Waterford during June and July of this year. This service is free to the farmer and funding to assist the local authorities is being made available from my Department through the Environment Fund.

The collections were well supported by farmers in the counties participating in the pilot phase leading to large quantities of plastic being deposited at designated sites. A significant finding from the pilot scheme is that it is not possible to operate collections in a large number of counties at the same time due to capacity constraints on the part of recovery operators. Accordingly, it is necessary to roll out the scheme to other areas on a staggered basis. Arising from a comprehensive examination of the information available, I have recently announced that collections of waste silage / bale wrap will now be put in place by Leitrim, Roscommon, Carlow, Longford, North Tipperary and Wicklow County Councils. Announcements regarding further extensions of collections to other areas, including Kerry, will follow completion of collections in those counties taking part in the second phase of the scheme.

The local authority collections are being put in place on a once off basis to remove accumulated silage bale wrap and sheeting from farms. Under the Waste Management (Farm Plastics) Regulations 2001, producers — i.e. 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 Irish Farm Film Producers Group (IFFPG) is currently the sole approved body in Ireland for the purposes of implementing a compliance scheme for the recovery of farm plastics waste.

Under the IFFPG scheme, producers apply a levy on the sale of farm plastics that in turn is transferred to the IFFPG for use in funding the collection and recovery of farm plastics waste. In spite of the successful operation of the scheme in recent years, it became apparent this year that the Scheme lacked sufficient resources to satisfy the demand that existed for collections of farm plastics. Therefore, following discussions with the IFFPG, farming organisations and local authorities, last May I announced amendments to the scheme to support improved services to farmers. Under the new arrangements, the scheme is being funded by a combination of the existing levies paid by the producer members of IFFPG who run the scheme and funding from weight based collection charges to be paid by farmers availing of the service. This will improve the operational efficiency of the scheme by incentivising the presentation of clean, dry plastic by farmers. IFFPG estimate that a typical farmer will incur a cost of €50 every second year arising from the introduction of this charge. The effect of the introduction of a charge will be to ensure that supply of collections of farm plastics to farmers can match the demand on an ongoing basis. Collections of film plastic and silage wrap are currently being provided nationwide by the (IFFPG) on this basis.