Huge volumes of farm plastic collected

1,415 tonnes of farm plastic were collected from farms in County Roscommon when the County Council recently took part in the second pilot scheme for the collection of silage and bale wrap. The silage and bale wrap was collected at six separate points over a twelve day period in November and December and the amount of plastic collected has delighted Environmental Awareness Officer with Roscommon County Council, Olwen Cooney. In the meantime the Irish Farm Film Producers Group (IFFPG) continue to provide a service nationwide to farmers. The IFFPG scheme has successfully recovered large quantities of farm plastics in recent years and now operates a scheme funded by a levy on farm plastic placed on the market in Ireland. This is a weight-based collection fee aimed at incentivising the presentation of clean, dry plastic by farmers. Roscommon County Council is calling on farmers to join the Race Against Waste and to reduce the amount of waste being produced on the farm. ‘Farmers have always reused and recycled and are ingenious at giving new life to old materials – many farmers already reuse empty containers, repair machinery and replace goods by recycling or adapting waste materials, but there’s plenty more that can be done to improve waste management on the farm and to protect our environment,’ says Olwen Cooney, Environmental Awareness Officer, Roscommon County Council. ‘The only way we can beat our waste problem is for everyone to work together to reduce, reuse and recycle at home, on the farm and at work,’ says Olwen.  ‘Farmers can prevent waste and reduce the amount of rubbish produced by doing simple things like reusing containers for feeding or cleaning, recycling waste oil and tyres and composting farm manure and organic household waste. Here are some ideas on how to get into the Race Against Waste on your farm: Plastic silage bale wrap and silage covers can be collected from now on by requesting a farm plastics collection through the Irish Farm Plastic Producers Group (IFFPG) phone no 1890 300 444. Plastic fertilisers bags, silage wrap, plastic pit covers, plastic meal bags, plastic containers e.g. dosing and sheep dip, mineral licks (must be triple rinsed), mesh feed bags, string and netting can be recycled by certain companies.  For further information on these companies please contact Roscommon County Council Environment office. Many farmers know that it is no longer acceptable to dump engine oil and filters and are now bringing them back to the garage for recycling or safe disposal. Old batteries can create pollution unless they are gathered up and brought back to suppliers for safe recycling. Hazardous waste companies collect these materials and recycle any recyclable components and dispose of hazardous material safely. Next time you tidy up the farmyard think before you dump or burn old tyres or plastics.  While it may seem like a cheap way of getting rid of waste, burning plastic, tyres and oils release toxic gases that are bad for your family’s health and your soil, not to mention the damage they do to Ireland’s environment.  There are permitted companies servicing Co. Roscommon who will collect and recycle tyres for further information on these companies please contact Roscommon County Council Environment Office.