Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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171. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the details of the collection of the farm plastics collection levy; the amount collected; the reason only one organisation receives the full levy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5872/19]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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Under the Waste Management (Farm Plastics) Regulations, 2001, all companies that place farm film products on the Irish market are obliged to either:1. operate a deposit and refund scheme, collect, or arrange to collect, free of charge the farm plastics from their customers and register and report to their Local Authority; or,

2. participate in an approved farm plastics recycling scheme.

There are currently no producers of farm films and plastics registered with Local Authorities.

Irish Farm Film Producers Group (IFFPG) is approved by me to operate a compliance scheme for the recovery of farm plastics waste. IFFPG is a not for profit body, which is primarily funded by its producer membership.

IFFPG collected a total of 26,739 tonnes of farm plastics waste (silage wrap and sheeting wastes) in 2017 and their members paid a recycling levy of €110 per tonne for farm plastics that they placed on the market in Ireland.