Every year around 40,000t of farm plastics are collected from Irish farms and recycled. This is almost double what plastic is recycled in a year under the Deposit Return Scheme.

Liam Moloney, CEO of the Irish Farm Films Producer’ Group (IFFPG) said that so far this year approximately 38,000t of plastic has been collected from farm plastic bring centres at marts and co-ops around the country.

“On any given year we’d recycle 40,000t of farm plastic, there’s less around this year because cattle were out for longer and there was less silage fed,” Moloney said.

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“We have over 100,000 farmers using the service which means the overwhelming majority of farmers are recycling their plastic.”

Earlier this year, farmers were told that they would be charged double unless they produce a valid label code on proof of purchase from their retailer or contractor.

This was to clamp down on the illegal trade of unlevied plastic.

Moloney told the Irish Farmers Journal that around 40 farmers were fined this year while the majority took home their plastic and returned when they could produce a valid label code.

The cost of returning silage plastic increased from €50 to €60 per half tonne in 2025 compared to last year. Farmers can also return netting. twine, big and small fertiliser bags, meal bags and plastic drums – these categories cost €10/half tonne.

While the majority of farmers take their plastic to their own nearest bring centre around 6,000 farmers avail of IFFPG’s collection service.

There are three farm plastic recycling and manufacturing facilities in Ireland which take farm plastic.

However, they only have the capacity to recycle 50% of the plastic which comes from Irish farms.