With silage harvesting in full swing, farmers are being reminded of the importance of purchasing silage wrap or covers from Irish Farm Film Producer Group (IFFPG) members.
Where silage plastic is purchased from IFFPG members, it will be accompanied by a six-digit code (printed on the invoice or receipt) which proves you are purchasing levied plastic.
This code will be requested at bring centres or where plastic is being collected off-farm and qualifies the plastic being recycled for a significant reduction in recycling costs.
The cost of recycling 0.5t of levied plastic (approximately 250 bale wraps or three covers) is €20, while the cost of recycling 0.5t of non-levied plastic is €85 per 0.5t.
In terms of plastic collected from the farmyard, the cost of collection of 0.5t of plastic is €45 with the six-digit code and €100 per 0.5t without the code.
Farmyard collections resumed on 18 May. The IFFPG says farmers availing of the delivery service need to make sure their plastic is accessible to a rigid truck operating with a hydraulic arm (for more info call 1890-300 444).
The most common method of recycling silage plastic remains delivery to collection centres.
Bring centres
The IFFPG says it hopes to be in a position to operate a bring-centre service starting in July and continuing until September. Marts and GAA grounds, etc, are generally used as collection centres and the IFFPG is hoping that this will remain the case and that it can operate in the region of 230 centres during this period.
It is also important to note that proof of silage plastic recycling is being requested as part of the Bord Bia Sustainable Beef and Lamb Scheme as, well as the Sustainable Dairy assurance Scheme.
Netting waste and twine is accepted at a cost of €5 per 0.5t bag. Small fertiliser and feed bags, along with large fertiliser and feed bags with liners removed, are accepted at €10 per 0.5t bag. The same cost applies to drums, which must be presented triple-rinsed. Dates of bring centre opening times will be available on www.farmplastics.ie once confirmed.