Defra should fund research and development of recyclable alternative materials for use on farms, an MP has said.

Scott Mann MP made the call during his debate on the use of plastics in agriculture on Wednesday, inviting Defra “to set up a research and development fund to find ways to ensure all plastic materials can be recyclable, and encourage alternative organic methods or products where financially feasible”.

Mann has previously campaigned to reduce the amount of marine and coastal pollution affecting his North Cornwall constituency but has now turned his attention to agricultural plastic waste.

“We clearly need to find a way to make agriculture more environmentally friendly without putting a heavy burden on our farmers,” he said.

The MP also recognised the problems experienced by remote farms, which may not be able to arrange collection of plastic waste for recycling.

“This sometimes leads to farmers burning plastic to get rid of waste, which is terrible for the environment,” Mann said.

A ban on burning plastic in Scotland will come into force on 1 January 2019. Mainland farmers may have to pay over £200/year to have plastic collected and the waste disposal sector may not be able to provide a service to remote areas and islands, meaning some farmers may struggle to dispose of plastic waste.

“We need a private sector solution to these problems to allow farmers to get rid of or limit their waste in an efficient and environmentally friendly way,” Scott Mann said.

Tax on plastic packaging

The Chancellor Philip Hammond recently announced a consultation on levying tax on plastic packaging that does not include at least 30% recycled content.

In its response to the Treasury consultation on single-use plastic, the NFU said it recognised a potential new production opportunity here for bio-based materials to replace some applications of single-use plastics, supported by public procurement.

Agriculture is responsible for only a small proportion of plastic packaging waste, but farmers have been impacted by waste policy through illegal practices like fly-tipping.”

Edible bale wrap

In 2016 a farmer’s son and chemistry PhD student Will Joyce, along with two colleagues, developed an edible bioplastic to wrap hay, straw and silage bales.

The trio were awarded £10,000 by Imperial College London to develop the product and undertook livestock validation testing, but their company Bionet Agriculture was dissolved in September.