Scheme at risk due to suppliers

PLASTIC film suppliers who are not paying a levy for the material they sell to farmers are putting a recycling scheme at risk, it was claimed yesterday.

Irish Farm Films Producers Group (IFFPG) recycled over 9,500 tonnes of plastic film last year, an increase of 32% on 2002 and 36% over the Government target.

The nationwide scheme, with Farm Relief Service as collecting agents and Repak acting as management agents, has diverted over 33,000 tonnes of plastic film from landfill since 1997.

But the IFFPG has now warned that the viability of the collection scheme is being undermined by suppliers who are not paying a recycling levy on the material they sell to farmers.

Producers and suppliers of farm plastics are required by law to either join IFFPG (to whom the levy is paid) or to operate their own independent collection scheme.

It said new and greater enforcement procedures are in place and non compliant companies will be pursued vigorously by local authorities for prosecution.