Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 332: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the reason farmers who pay a collection charge on the purchase of silage cover or silage wrap at the point of purchase are subsequently required to load and draw the used plastic to an agreed centre and pay for that privilege at the point of delivery; the way or the reason farmers should have to pay twice and also deliver when it was supposed to be collected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20571/08]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The disposal of waste materials in all sectors, including agricultural, is a matter for the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government in the first instance.

Under the Waste Management (Farm Plastics) Regulations 2001, manufacturers and importers of farm plastics — that is, silage bale wrap and sheeting — must take steps to recover farm plastics waste which they have placed on the market, or alternatively contribute to and participate in compliance schemes to recover the waste in question. Since 1997 a silage plastic collection service has been operated by the Irish Farm Films Producers Group (IFFPG), and involves payment of a levy of €127 per tonne by producers (manufacturers and importers). Since May 2006 an additional weight-based charge has also been levied on farmers. The necessity for such a charge emerged from a review which sought to address a lack of resources to collect plastics, which resulted in a build-up on farms. Stakeholders, including the farming organisations, were consulted on the introduction of this levy, which aims to incentivise the presentation of clean, dry plastic by farmers, and to help ensure that collection can be assured, by putting in place, along with the producers levy, an adequate return to contractors. The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has no involvement in the running of the scheme.

As a temporary measure in order to deal with the backlog on farms, local authorities provided designated facilities where farmers could deposit stockpiled farm plastic free of charge. In total, some 35,000 tonnes of materials were collected at these temporary facilities over the period 2006 to 2007.

The operation of these temporary facilities proved so popular with farmers that the IFFPG have now developed a calendar of some 130 collections nationwide where farmers can deposit bale wrap and silage wrap, at a reduced weight-based charge. These collections have commenced and run through to the autumn of this year. Farmyard collections are still available from IFFPG but they are more expensive to operate and consequently involve a higher charge.