Recycling regulations for bale wrap and other farm films

Monday 11 January 2010

DEFRA has launched a consultation on setting up collection and recycling networks for producers of farm films or Non Packaging Agricultural Products (NPAP) - such as silage bale wrap, crop cover, mulch films and bale twine.

Every year around 83,000 tonnes of NPAP is produced or imported into the UK with only 20 percent currently recycled. The uncontrolled burning and burying of the remaining 80 percent causes environmental problems.

Other types of plastic packaging products are covered by the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 2007, which includes fertiliser sacks, animal feed sacks, tubs and seed bags.

The consultation, which runs for 10 weeks and closes on the 25th February 2010, seeks views on whether the industry as a whole agrees that a recycling system is needed.

Two systems have been suggested and detailed in the consultation. The first is an on-farm collection system and the second is a collection point system, both involving a compliance scheme system similar to those used for Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) and packaging collection.

Producers and importers of NPAP would join a scheme to ensure that they collect and recycle their share based on the amount they place on the market.

It is estimated that an on-farm collection system could see prices of farm films increase by up to 39 percent, whereas the collection point system would be organised with points at farmers markets or cattle markets which would be free at the point of use for farmers.

The consultation proposes staged targets to increase the amount of NPAP which is recycled, starting at 40 percent in 2012, 60 percent in 2013, 70 percent in 2014 before the eventual goal of 80 percent in 2015.

The consultation seeks views on whether the industry as a whole agrees that a recycling system is still needed, and if so, how it should operate.

Environment Minister Dan Norris said: “Many farmers have been calling for a system like this for many years and I am pleased that we are now able to put forward detailed options. Every industry has a responsibility to minimise their environmental impact and our proposals would help deal with this type of waste in a much more sustainable way.”

Increasing the amount of this plastic that is recycled instead of being sent to landfill would reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the amount of fossil fuels being used to make virgin products.

Further Details

For more details and to participate in the consultation, click here>>

The Agricultural Waste Plastics Collection and Recovery Programme provides the following general guidance to farmers for the handling, segregation and storage of agricultural waste plastics (AWP). Click here for their best practice fact sheet >>