Managing Used Farm Plastic

The use of plastic on farms is unavoidable and increasing.  It is an extremely versatile material used for covering silos, wrapping bales, covering crops and as a packaging material for almost everything that arrives in the farmyard.  This widespread use has resulted in approximately 2500 tonnes of used silage plastic alone to be disposed of in Northern Ireland annually.   

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.   

Until recently, the most common method of waste plastic disposal was burning.  Other methods included burial or disposal along with household waste in the dustbin.  With the introduction of the Waste Management Regulations (NI) 2006 on 31 July 2006, these practices are now prohibited.  All waste, including plastic waste, must now be taken to an appropriately licensed facility for disposal, for example, a landfill site or alternatively it can be collected and or recycled by an individual or company holding the appropriate permissions from Environment and Heritage Service (EHS).  Recycling is encouraged and should always be the preferred management option as it helps to reduce resource use and the requirement for space at landfill sites.  Farmers have a duty of care to check that the individuals or companies they choose to manage their waste, hold the appropriate permissions from EHS.

It is permissible under the Waste Management Regulations (NI) 2006 to store your own agricultural waste on the farm of origin for up to 12 months.  Plastic should be kept as clean as possible for two reasons.  Firstly, dirty plastic costs the recycling industry more by being less efficient to recycle and secondly it costs farmers more to dispose of it.  It is worth noting that contaminated silage cover weighs roughly twice as much as it does when clean!

To prevent stored plastic from blowing around the farmyard and to prevent it from becoming further contaminated, a storage system such as a cage, a trailer with high sides or a recycling bin is recommended.  Farmers who have signed Agri-environment agreements since May 2005 may be eligible for partial funding towards the purchase of a recycling bin.  

For further information contact Countryside Management Branch at your local Department of Agriculture and Rural Development office.