Farmers will face significant hikes in the cost of recycling plastic bale wrap, the Irish Farm Film Producers’ Group (IFFPG) has confirmed.

The cost of bringing a half tonne of farm plastic waste to a bring centre is up €15, from a minimum of €35 to a minimum of €50, Liam Maloney of the IFFPG said.

This equates to plastic from approximately 250 bales.

The cost of farmyard collection has increased by €40, from €60 to €100 per half tonne.

Recycling levy

The recycling levy on a roll of plastic bale wrap has increased by €130.

The levy has risen from €615 to €745 on a standard roll of wrap.

This equates to an increase in the levy from €240/t to €286/t, which came into effect from 23 January 2024.

The recycling levy is applied to all companies that sell farm plastic in Ireland.

Moloney warned this could trickle down to farmers.

‘Necessary’

Maloney told the Irish Farmers Journal the increases are regrettable, but “necessary”.

“We’re collecting an ever-increasing volume of farm plastic, at a time when it’s very expensive to recycle farm plastic due to global events. That’s what’s caused the increase.

“Last year we collected 39,000t of farm plastic waste. That’s the equivalent of plastic from 20m bales. That was a recycling rate well in excess of 90%.

“That’s wonderful, that’s great, but it’s happening at a time where costs are escalating due to the war in Ukraine, Covid before that and the decision by the Chinese to stop importing all plastic waste,” he said.