PA182/A/08 What Can We Do With Farm Plastic?

The use of plastic on farms is unavoidable and increasing – spray containers, silage wrap, silo cover, fertiliser and meal bags.  Approximately 2500 tonnes of used silage plastic is disposed of in NI each year.

Plastic litter is unsightly and can be blown some distance, ending up in trees and hedges.  It can cause blockages in waterways and often ends up hanging on riverbank vegetation or fences. If you are a Countryside Management (CMS) or Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESA) Scheme participant then you must keep your farm free from litter and eyesores.

In the past, burning was the most common technique for waste plastic disposal.  Other methods included burial or disposal with household waste in the bin.  These practices are now prohibited under the Waste Management Regulations (NI) 2006.

Plastic can be:

1. Taken to a licensed landfill site or;

2. Recycled by an individual or company holding the appropriate permissions from the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA), formerly known as EHS.  Recycling is encouraged and should always be the preferred disposal option.  It helps to reduce the resource use and the space requirement at landfill sites.  

Agricultural waste can be stored on the farm of origin for up to 12 months (Waste Management Regulations (NI) 2006).  Dirty plastic costs more to recycle and dispose of.  To prevent stored plastic from blowing around the farmyard and becoming further contaminated, a storage system such as a trailer with high sides or a recycling bin is recommended.

Further information is available on disposing of agricultural waste in The Code of Good Agricultural Practice for the Prevention of Pollution of Water, Air and Soil.

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