Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 284: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of tons of farm plastic on which levies were paid in 2006; the number of tons of plastic collected by authorised collectors in 2006; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2643/07]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The information requested is not yet available in my Department.

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) — which comprises membership of film manufacturers and importers — is a non-profit making company and is at present the sole approved body in Ireland for the purposes of implementing a compliance scheme for the recovery of farm plastics waste.

The scheme funds its operations by means of an Environmental Protection Contribution (EPC) levy of €127 per tonne which is included in the sale price of the product down through the trading chain. The EPC levies collected are transferred to the IFFPG for the purpose of contracting collection agents on a nationwide basis to collect waste silage wrap, before transporting it for recycling to appropriate reprocessing plants. The EPC levy is set by the IFFPG with a view to covering its operational costs and manufacturers / importers are audited at year-end to ensure all levy liability has been fully declared.

The latest available data from IFFPG relates to 2005 and indicates that over 12,500 tonnes of farm film and bale wrap were collected for recycling. This equates to approximately 95% of the material placed on the market in that year.

In spite of the successful operation of the scheme in recent years, it became apparent that the Scheme lacked sufficient resources to satisfy the demand that existed for collections of farm plastics, and backlogs of uncollected material began to accumulate. Therefore, following discussions with the IFFPG, farming organisations and local authorities, I announced amendments last year to the scheme to support improved services to farmers. Under the new arrangements, the scheme is 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 paid by farmers availing of the service. This is improving the operational efficiency of the scheme by incentivising the presentation of clean, dry plastic by farmers. I am confident that in due course, the enhancements made to the scheme will support the achievement of higher recovery rates for farm plastic and an improved service for farmers.

Special arrangements have also been put in place by local authorities to deal with accumulated backlogs. In 2006, designated facilities were provided on a temporary, once-off basis where farmers could 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 last year. More recently further collections have been taking place in Leitrim, Roscommon, Carlow, Longford, North Tipperary and Wicklow. 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 operation of the pilot collections to date 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. Announcements regarding further extensions of collections to other areas will follow completion of collections in those counties taking part in the second phase of the scheme.